Stolen
by Beatriz
Summary: [Prequel to Silver Linings] - Tifa Lockheart learns in life oppertunity only knocks once. Now the question is, what do you do when it happens to knocK twice? [PROLOGUE : UPDATED] ! R & R !
1. Everybody's Got Something to Hide

I chose not to choose life. I chose something else. The reasons? There are no reasons.  
  
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S t o l e n  
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[ P . r . o . l . o . g . u . e ]  
O.o o.O O.o o.O O.o o.O O.o   
  
She was talking again. But then again, she was always talking, so that discovery didn't make me feel any more intelligent or statistical in the least bit. She was always telling me about her unifying theories as if I cared, but that was the funny thing with psychiatrists. They always had a theory, no matter how ridiculous it sounded, and always seemed to think people who were forced to listen actually really cared.  
  
"Tifa, it's very common for young women and men to channel their energies into drugs, alcohol, and any other self destructive actions when someone they love is suffering. They may feel trapped and helpless, like there's nothing they can do to stop the suffering, but then again, is doing drugs actually going to save the suffering from any further pain? No, of course not, it'll make the internal pain within them even stronger."  
  
"What do you want me to say," I asked, folding my arms across my chest stubbornly as a stern expression of rage crawled upon my face, "that you're right? That you know exactly what's going on in my head? That I should listen to you because of the vast awards and Ph.D. certifications hanging from your walls? Because of the Nobel prize you're so very sure you'll receive one of these days? Is that what you want because if that's the case then you can just fuck off. I'd rather die in a painfully obscene way than prove to my father he knows what's best for me. Let's make one thing clear, Dr. Crawford, just because you attended Midgar's most prestigious schools and studied with well known doctors all over the world doesn't give you an anticipated VIP pass to save every person who walks into your office."  
  
Dr. Crawford looked astonished. Her cherry lips were parted as the chin attached to her delicate face seemed almost dislocated. I loved every moment of it. Was I a class act bitch for admitting that to myself? I don't know, but I could really care less. I didn't ask to be helped and I sure as hell didn't ask to survive my overdose. Oh, yeah. You didn't know? Before I was forced to these pathetic sessions, I was almost dead. Breaths ceasing and short lived life flashing before my very eyes. It's a beautiful fucking thing, to see every moment of your life - good and bad - playing like a double feature in the compounds of your very own mind. All those who understand my experience, sadly, will most likely never feel that rush again. The first time is always the blood coiling delicacy. And for all you people who don't understand my passion, you will. Maybe even sooner than you think.  
  
"You were almost dead," the female psychiatrist proclaimed, removing the thin framed spectacles away from her eyes and scrutinizing every breath and motion I may be producing. It made me feel very uncomfortable, "So don't you sit there thinking you don't need help! I just don't understand why you're so hell bent on killing yourself. You're such a beautiful and smart girl who's destined to achieve great things! Why would you want to do something so stupid as taking drugs and excessive amounts of alcohol? That's all I want to know. Not even to save you but to help me understand this situation."  
  
"I'm not destined for great things. I'm a nobody," I curtly explained, allowing my leg to lie on top of my other relaxed one as I continued looking up at the ceiling from my comfortable position on the couch, "I don't want to be anyone. I just want to be vapor. Vapor doesn't feel and it doesn't emotionalize itself over stupid things. It doesn't feel like a loser and isn't forced to suffer when the only person they ever loved slips away right between their fingers. You know why? Because vapor doesn't love anyone or anything and it doesn't have fingers for that very importance to slip unnoticeably through, it's just there without a mission or obligation. It lingers one day and the next it'll be gone. No harm. No foul."  
  
"But don't you want a mission? That's the whole purpose of the human race being in existence. It's what separates itself from animals and inanimate objects."  
  
I sighed and turned on my side, propping myself up on my elbow, and looking straight into the young doctor's eyes, "I have no mission and I'm in no rush to ask for one. All that you design your own destiny crap is a crock of shit. It's a fucking manifestation which makes us strive to be someone, anyone, but who we actually are. We're always ashamed of what we have, we want to change it, make ourselves a new version of what other people find pleasant. We want to be perfect but what we don't know, is we'll never get there. There's always something missing and there's always some flaw. No matter how hard you try and remodel it, it'll always be there, gnawing at your insides like this incurable guilt. People don't understand that and 'that's' what separates us from the rest of the creatures of this world. It's not that we have a purpose, it's that we're the only breed on God's green earth that makes unreasonable expectations for ourselves."  
  
"I think you're being a little too pessimistic."  
  
I grinned and shook my head before slowly laying back down, "Not pessimistic. Just realistic."  
  
The office was quiet for quite some time. I actually got to the point where the boredom was so incredibly tedious, I began licking my lips and making sucking noises due to the obvious lack of moisture which refused to grace my mouth. This session was pointless and as my fingers drummed the leather surface of the couch my body was invading, the eyes which I have chosen to close re-awakened themselves and, in irritation, dart to the side to stare at the woman which supposedly held the hidden key to my unharnessed sanity.  
  
I watched Dr. Crawford look down at me with curious eyes, removing her glasses from the bridge of her tiny nose, and pursed her red lips together tersely. That was when I knew she wanted something. To get more specific and ask what, I had no idea. But the body language and uncomfortable vibes this doctor was displaying proved her request was something I would strongly disapprove of. Something emotional and destructive that would leave me in a complete state of vulnerability. I had a slight idea of what she wanted, but the thought was so disgustingly unbearable I didn't want to admit it to myself, because if I did, it might just come true.  
  
"Tifa, as your psychiatrist, I need to know about your life. Past and present."  
  
I felt my body tense up as my insides grew numb with dred and undesired insecurity. Yet, over all these discrepancies, I allowed myself to ironically produce a smile. Maybe it was out of nervous fear. Maybe it was to buy some much needed time. Or maybe it was to hide the rage which was only agonizingly short seconds away from erupting. No matter what the reason was, the smile would never stop being originally known for it's sheer inadequacy and stupidity.  
  
"You don't have to be afraid of confessing the dimensions of your past. Not a single word will leave this office. You have my word."  
  
"That's easy for you to say. You're merely sitting in that cozy chair of yours listening to some poor sap's interpretation on what specific evil corrupted their lives. You, yourself, aren't the poor sap who wakes up every morning wishing they hadn't," I explained surprisingly even-toned as my hands found their way upon my face.  
  
Every second which lapsed by on the clock hanging over the door to my unattained freedom was every second I wished the world itself would just stopped rotating. They should, in all seriousness, consider making controllers for that specified need. Maybe even a self-destruct mechanism along with it but that depended solely on whether those geniuses at Shinra ever did get around to projects which didn't involve the excommunication of hardworking citizens from their homes, the occasional town burning, and who can forget televised public executions.  
  
"Tifa, you can trust me. I'll listen and hopefully give helpful insight into the struggle your past has left you to endure," I heard Dr. Crawford soothingly whisper, her curiosity and inquisitive disposition overwhelming me with it's unsubtle approach. Even with my eyes closed and hands over my face, I could still vividly picture the flicker of need in her eyes.  
  
"No, Dr. Crawford. Your own ignorance will save you many sleepless nights of wondering in horror how destructive this world can really be," I declared, slowly removing my trembling hands from further protecting and shielding the expression on my face. I knew this day would come, especially since my bastard of a father signed me up for sessions at the local hospital with Nibelheim's most determined and successful psychiatrist. It was the denial in me that caused me to believe if I didn't think about it maybe it would go away. Become a fear only crucial to the thoughts in the back of my mind. But because I was too busy believing false advertising for my future, I never had enough time to build my defenses. I was a weak little kitten thanks to the fact I denied possibilities instead of accepting them.  
  
She stared down at me with eyes full of sincere compassion and for a split second I could have sworn I saw my mother. The certain sparkle of life which lied within the doctor's eyes was once an unmistakable characteristic of my mom. It was what she was infamous for besides her incredible musical talent. I felt the tears of nostalgia begin to surface themselves in the pools of my eyes. The visible weakness within me made me sick and that sickness soon, without skipping a single beat, turned into passive fury.  
  
"Who the hell are you to ask me for painful details of my life," I managed to shout, passionate anger being the only emotion fueling my words, "How would you like to resurface the life which brought you so much shame you wish you could just crawl underneath a rock and be wiped off the memory of every single person walking this Earth. Because everytime you manage to step outside, you get stared at like the deformity which is preventing them from ever achieving a much anticipated picture perfect kind of world. When people look at me, they don't see a normal teenage girl by the name of Tifa Lockheart, all they see is a disease that they can't wait to be rid off."  
  
"I'm sure you're overreacting. Nibelheim isn't quick to judge, it isn't Midgar or Kalm," Dr. Crawford proclaimed, leaning back in her chair and placing the silver framed glasses back on her face comfortably, "The problem which you choose not to admit to yourself is you're immaculately bitter and what astonishes me is you're not even an adult yet. You're too busy criticizing all the faults of humanity and the world itself when you should be out, with friends, and enjoying what life has to offer you. Your mother died, yes, and I'm really sorry for that, but don't subject yourself to a life you think you should have verses a life you actually do deserve. Not over the crimes and hardships you seek retribution for but simply for the life a girl like yourself deserves to have! I promise you, Tifa, if you give it a chance, you'll find out the world isn't as bad as you pictured it to be."  
  
I remained completely still, listening intently to the doctor's intuitive words. What I didn't bother saying did prevent her from seeing the real reason I was so 'immaculately bitter.' How do you tell someone you don't want to experience the world for absolute petrifying fear that in the end, it wasn't worth the second glance? How do I find this unspeakable good in a world which takes away the only person I ever loved? It was so easy being close-minded in a world which offered nothing but malice, but then again, I was never the first one who initially took the road less traveled.  
  
"You need to know when to ask for help," she continued, her voice urging me to think about the future repercussions of ignoring salvation, "I can help you if you would only let me in. All I ask is if you just let me in, Tifa, and I promise I'll do my best to remove permanently the skeletons in your closet. I can also assure you anything that is said during this time of recollection will not leave this room or be recorded in any way."  
  
"Why can't you just leave it alone?" I exclaimed, getting frustrated with her incessant questioning, "Haven't you ever heard of the phrase let by gones be by gones?"  
  
"And have you ever heard of the phrase one flew over the cuckoo's nest because let me tell you, if you keep your past hidden without ever confronting it, that will in no doubt be the title of your self-acclaimed autobiography. You have no idea how many patients come in search of my help and can't be healed because they're so far down the road they can't turn back even if they wanted to. Don't let your pride stand in the way of giving yourself much needed closure."  
  
I basked in the idea of preventing my nightmares from continuously returning every night to finish it's cryptic job on destroying the healthy psyche I worked so hard to rebuild after my mother died. I also came to an abrupt conclusion that I was just like everybody else, yearning for some kind of certainty on where I stood in the world. I did want to make ridiculous expectations for myself. I did want to strive for perfection. I did want the mission and the purpose in one neat packaging. I did want to live the life I deserved not the life I thought I should have. I wanted a lot, and surprisingly I noticed for the first time since my downward spiral I decided to give life a second chance. I suddenly realized, I was going to be just like you.  
  
Snuggling back into the lawnchair modeled leather seat, I took the deepest breath my lungs could withstand, and closed my eyes so I wouldn't be tempted to glance even briefly at the doctor's facial expressions during the tragic monstrosity which was my life. As I produced the sigh which seemed to stop time, I slowly asked, "Where do you want me to start?" 


	2. Except Me and My Monkey

Stolen

Chapter 1

_Your inside is out and your outside is in  
Your outside is in and your inside is out  
So come on come on  
Come on is such a joy  
Come on is such a joy  
Come on make it easy  
Come on make it easy  
Make it easy make it easy  
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and  
my monkey._

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**I was never this angry. I never smoked, drank, or did anything remotely scandalous. I was an angelic vision of **

**modesty and purity that everyone in town reformed their reckless self after. The only human being God actually smiled upon after creation. I was pride hidden carefully within skin and bone.**

**I made myself sick. The smiles people shone on me. The showers of kind words I constantly bathed in. It all began to suffocate me. Made me smile when inside I scowled and embrace praise when all I wanted was to turn my back. Battery acid coursed through my veins as I bled through tears. I was slowly dying and even worse in denial of my own struggle. I rather had walked alone in the darkness of my own self loathe instead of welcoming the light of satisfying revelation even if it was manifested in the glowing bonfires the pitchfork wielding townspeople started to set me on fire with. That was what made me sick. My fear of exile. My fear of being a wolf instead of a sheep. I never acknowledged my weakness until my mother got sick.**

**Cancer.**

**Just eating away at her until she was nothing more than a shell of her former self. It took someone close to me dying to awaken the side of me fear restrained from emerging. I was finally free but apparently I missed the price tag when I walked out the door with it.**

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Just this?"

Tifa Lockheart brushed a thick lock of mahogany hair away from her line of vision and smirked after sarcastically rolling her eyes, "You know, every other day I come into this same grocery store, buy the same items; milk, eggs, and bread, from the same cashier, which just so happens to be you, and every other day you ask me the same thing: 'j_ust this_?' C'mon, you know it's just this. Is that your socially inept attempt at small talk because there are just so many other relevant questions you could ask. Like, _How are you? How's the kids? _and, I'm not a big fan considering the overzealous usage of this one, but _How's the weather out there_?"

"First off, I know how you are. You live right next door to me. You don't have any kids. And the weather's absolutely beautiful, I just got done smoking a cigarette about ten minutes ago," the cashier smoothly rattled off almost forgetting to breathe but not forgetting to display a cocky smile, "Secondly, it's store policy to ask. It ranks right up there with _Have a nice day _and _Thanks for shopping Sakura, come shop back with us again_."

"Well, keep spiffing up that apron that giving us that golden boy smile because you're making corporations around the world very proud," Tifa teased, bagging her own groceries before pulling out her wallet and giving away the only ten in a garden of green.

Cloud Strife smirked while watching his next door neighbor scramble through her purse for her wallet. The blonde had known the petite brunette since the diaper era. Mrs. Lockheart would always baby-sit for him when he was little since his mother worked too hard to watch him herself. Mr. Strife had left his family and disappeared before his son was even born so being at the Lockheart house had always made Cloud feel like he was actually a part of a real family. Also, they were what a true family should be; loving, supportive, and always ready to listen. Proof of the three fundamentals resided in Mr. and Mrs. Lockheart barely fighting. If they did, it was something insignificant like a dish not being washed the right way.

Tifa was lucky.

"Oh, by the way, I wanted to let you know my mom's making stuffed shells tonight. Considering everyone on this side of the hemisphere knows it's your favorite dish, she asked me to extend an invite," Tifa declared, turning around and using her heels as support while her arms laced tighter around the single brown bag for leverage.

"Tell her I appreciate it, but I have plans with Aeris tonight."

She just smiled and nodded, a look of understanding tinted with disgust illuminating her face. Tifa had never gotten along with Aeris. She had tried a year ago when the couple had begun dating but the older female would always display signs of hostility. Plus, the choirgirl would constantly scrunch her nose up as though she laid her eyes upon something vile whenever Tifa would wave or exchange retorts with Cloud. Her parents, surprisingly, were good friends with Aeris's but judging from their daughter's attitude the Lockheart-Gainsbourgh alliance stopped just short of parental consent.

"Geez, stop the obvious display of joy, you're embarrassing yourself," Cloud remarked, noticing the displeasure in his friend's expression while uncomfortably running a hand through an array of blonde spikes.

She noticed the awkwardness pollute the air surrounding the small portion of the supermarket she stood in. Customers, who chose to make their exit during her five minutes of embarrassing fame, glanced at the flabbergasted girl making her blush from the unwanted attention. Tifa paid especially close attention to the clumsy way Cloud played with his hair and frowned, guilt at her selfish demeanor gnawing her into submission.

"Oh, don't let the face fool you; I'm too ecstatic to contain myself! The banners are going up tomorrow."

"Always an excuse to plan a party."

Tifa smiled, revealing a row of pearly whites in support of her friend's choice in weekend activities. The heavy atmosphere seemed to lighten, the sun returning to brighten an otherwise potentially stormy occurrence. She may not like the girl Cloud chose to date but that didn't mean she had a right to intervene. He was free to date anyone he wanted without input from the girl next door. If the situation were reversed, she wanted to be the one to make the decision of who she chose to see without commentary from the all too eager peanut gallery.

"Same time? Same basic food items?"

"Me and my socially inept attempt at small talk will be waiting."

"See you then, Spike," the bright eyed teenager declared winking with a laugh before turning around with her groceries and exiting Nibelheim's only supermarket within a reasonable walking distance.

Cloud smirked, watching Tifa sashay her way out the sliding doors. She was captivating, always knowing what to say. Natural but beautiful. And her heart was always beating, always kind and full of affection. Even when she was angry she never stopped caring. There was a moment where he did ask himself what it would be like to hug her and have it mean more than just a small friendly gesture of comfort. But once Aeris came into his life, everything changed. All the feelings and fantasies he invested in Tifa soon became Aeris's. Platonic once again became Cloud's sole vocabulary choice when concerning his childhood friend.

Staring at the doors, now closed for a good five minute's time, blonde eyebrows furrowed over baby blues as an overactive imagination began its usual three hour tour. Aeris was a great girl, a little spoiled, but genuinely prime choice for a girlfriend. Unfortunately, what ifs didn't respect whatever security and good fortune the present offered. Cloud loved Aeris but he always wondered what it would be like to live out a fantasy. A reverie.

Aeris.

He felt guilty even thinking of someone else when he knew precisely well how lucky he was to have a woman like Aeris. She was gorgeous and sweet mannered. A reverie all her own. But, no matter how much beauty she was blessed with, there was always that irritating wall she held up. They had been dating for a year and Cloud barely knew her. Whenever they went out, her mind was somewhere else and conversationally, Aeris was far worse. Recently, the girl was so far gone; he would have to touch her to prove to himself she wasn't a hologram. He did everything he possibly could to keep her interested, things the other guys would mercilessly nut crack him for, but it seemed the harder he tried the more she would slip away.

It did seem rational to imagine having a relationship with someone he felt he could be happier with. Cloud cared too much for Aeris to completely give into his mental urges, though, which made having something as simple as a fantasy more of a chore than a luxury. He knew once things improved with his girlfriend, the parallel universe he created for himself and Tifa would become nothing more than a requiem. Something he would be remorseful over and perform yet another emasculating declaration of love as penance. He wanted things to get better. He wanted to make Aeris happy. So why was the thought of a Tifa-less mind span so disappointing to him?

_Man, I really need a cigarette._

"Scott, watch my register, man. I'm going out for a smoke."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Umm...That felt so good."

Aeris Gainsbourgh dismounted her flame with a beaming smile on her flushed ivory face and fell beside her lover. The warm afternoon sun shone into the small room through fluttering curtains as the rotating ceiling fan did nothing to improve the unbearable temperatures the two were feeling. She turned and gazed upon the older man's features, green eyes following the trail of a single sweat bead running from his moist forehead down a chiseled cheek. His long ebony hair turned the white pillow temporarily black while closed eyelids shielded sensitive amber eyes away from the disturbing light his partner in turn chose to bask in.

"You know, you're too transparent for your own good," Aeris whispered in the man's ear causing him to open one questioning eye, "Your jaw. It clenches when you're in deep thought."

He opened both eyes this time, feeling a finger softly trace the crevice of his cheekbone which led to his jaw that was, just as predicted, clenched. This gesture only made him turn his face to the side and sit up, grabbing his pants and boxers from the floor with one swift swipe of his hand, "I'm tired of playing games, Aeris."

"What are you talking about, Zack? I'm not playing games with you."

Zach put on his boxers immediately followed by black trousers and a thin white t-shirt, "You should start asking yourself what you're in this little tryst for because we might have different ideas."

Aeris sat up with the sheet held securely over bare chest; mouth slightly ajar in shock at Zack's declaration. Her eyes took in the sight of the man before her but this time the soft light she had seen him bathed in mere moments ago was darker and slightly sinister. A complete change from the one he eluded when he was lying next to her, "What are you trying to say? You don't wanna be with me unless I'm on my back?"

The tan gentleman abruptly halted from tidying himself up and fixed his stare on the teary eyed girl who had first stolen his attention and then his heart. Sighing, he walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, eyes never leaving Aeris and the tears she began to shed, "That's not what I meant. I'm getting tired of hiding this and I'm tired of seeing you with that other guy. This whole situation just pisses me off and drives me crazy."

"Zack," Aeris said, the tears beginning to cease their flow as her body maneuvered itself closer to the other man sympathetically, "I know it's hard, but you're twenty-four and I'm only seventeen. Do you know how angry everyone would be if they found out I've been seeing you? Do you know what my father would do if he found out? I don't want anything happening to you so we have to keep this a secret until I turn eighteen. Then, the minute I blow out the candles on my cake making my age upgrade official, we can go to town with this bit of information."

Zack smiled, brushing a wave of soft hair behind the nymph's ear, "So what about your boyfriend?"

"What about him?"

"C'mon, Aeris, you're not gonna stay with him until you turn eighteen are you?" Zack exclaimed, getting back up from the soft, inviting warmth of the bed and away from the source of his frustration. This girl had done so much for him. She had given him the comfort of another human being's genuine interest, given him her soul to take reassurance in. But just as many good aspects there were to being with Aeris there were just as equally annoying and disturbing facets in their flawed relationship. He was growing very weary of this deception.

"Yeah, I mean, that was the plan," she explained only to be rewarded with a groan of dissatisfaction and grooming continuation, "You knew what you were getting yourself into when you started this! Cloud is the perfect distraction. When people see me with him, it doesn't make hanging around the docks with you so suspicious! You have to understand that if we do anything stupid and obvious, it'll draw attention to what we've been doing behind closed doors. And dumping Cloud after a year of what other people perceived as bliss is stupid and obvious."

Aeris wrapped the sheet tighter around her small frame and crawled to the edge of the bed where the object of her affection had been previously sitting. Her eyes, a beautiful shade of aquamarine, were encased in remorse as rosy lips usually twisted up in a smile were manipulated into a troubled frown, "Please. Please, don't leave me because of this. I love you and I don't want to lose you. You make me so happy."

He sternly looked down and counted the boards necessary to create the exceptionally crafted floor he was currently standing on. His heart pounded against his chest while hearing the girl's soft plea. Zack didn't have the heart to look at her face. He knew once he took even the slightest peek, he would see the sincerity in her eyes and immediately forget the whole mess he inadvertently walked into seven months ago. He would forget and be ignorantly happy until the next time he saw the town's power couple together. Then the jealousy would return and there Aeris and he would be, back at square one arguing.

"Zack. Please, just be patient for a little while longer."

"Are you fucking him?"

Uncomfortable silence penetrated and destroyed the barrier open communication had successfully built for precaution's sake. Zack felt the yellow drain from his complexion as he mustered the courage to look at the girl on his bed who stared back, eyes slowly losing the remorse and lips frowning deeper to create a bitter sneer. The tension was like nothing either had ever felt, sexual or natural. The bad blood both withheld for the other slowly seeped into the gaps like venom and suffocated any tolerance and affection that may have been present in their half hour together. Soon enough, the love turned into resentment.

"What?" Aeris shouted, unable to grasp the choice words thrown in her direction, "I can't believe you just asked me that!"

"I asked you if you were fucking him not if you believed what I said. So are you? Are you two shacking up? Does he fuck better than me? Is that why you just can't bear to leave him?" Zack shouted back. The fury boiling within his bloodstream prevented him from shutting his mouth so mental slaps were rewarded for his brash interpretation of reality.

Aeris quickly crawled to the other side of the bed and dropped the sheet before proceeding to put on her undergarments and the dress she had specifically picked out for Zack's enjoyment, "You are such an ungrateful asshole! I'm treating Cloud, an innocent guy who just wants to treat his girlfriend right, so horribly because I feel bad for letting him _touch_ me or know things about me only I want you to know. I'm stringing him along so people don't throw you in jail for statutory and this is how you show me you care? By asking me if I'm fucking him? Is that what you really think of me? You're disgusting and I don't even want to look at you right now!"

"Can you blame me?" Zack asked, running a nervous hand through his disheveled hair, "Look at you. You're gorgeous through the inside out. It drives me crazy to think of some other guy touching you or making you feel things maybe I don't. I'm a fucking fisherman! I can only offer things that your boyfriend possibly one day can actually give you time ten? It'll only be a matter of time before you realize that, walk out that door, and never come back."

"I love you, why can't you just be happy with that? I feel things for you that I would never experience in a lifetime with anyone else."

"I just need time to think this over."

Fresh tears began to resurface themselves in vain as Aeris adjusted the strap of her dress and nodded quickly, "Sure. Sure, if time is what you need than I'll give it to you. I don't think we can have something if you don't have the faith necessary to keep it going. If you want to talk, you know where to find me."

He didn't say a word, just effortlessly watched as the brunette put on her shoes, grabbed her purse, and walked out the door without looking back. Before she left, Zack had caught a glimpse of falling tears causing him to sigh in confliction. Aeris was everything he could ever want. No, saying she was everything only he could ever want was an understatement. That girl was the pinnacle of everything a man could ever want, the mystical pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. How could he be so stupid as to push her out the door after she had just bore every sentiment her heart was capable of protecting?

_Too much deception._

The fisherman was tired of keeping his passion to himself. It was like telling an artist not to reveal an aspect of them self with every stroke they took on a canvas. He couldn't just keep the feelings he felt for Aeris to himself. Not when there was some other guy doing all the things he wished he could be doing with her existing right under his nose. It was too much. The flare he tapped into and released when he made love to Aeris was becoming more than he could handle. Making love to her wasn't enough of an outlet, he needed more.

"Son of a bitch," Zack proclaimed, picking up the small bedside lamp and throwing it against the mirror on his dresser. The glass cracked, not receiving enough momentum to shatter it completely but producing enough damage to promote a sense of accomplishment. He sighed again. The restlessness still lingered in the shadows so it didn't make him feel totally better.

But, fortunately, it was a start.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Sarah Lockheart sat in the doctor's office shaking her leg in nervous anticipation. Never one to be claustrophobic, the quadrilateral beige walls suddenly began to close in on her. Her palms were sweating, full lips loosing moisture rapidly, and slender body trembling from the lack of oxygen in the shrinking room. She had never been this anxious, not even when Tifa was born. It seemed as though she was looking straight at fate's faceless appearance and unable to view the destiny written in chicken scratch on the paper it held in it's clammy hands.

"Say something."

"Huh?" Daniel Lockheart asked, looking blankly at his wife as though his mind had just returned from a trip around the world, "I'm sorry, honey. My body's here but my mind seems to be on vacation. You okay?"

Sarah smiled, allowing her husband to cup her hands supportively, "Yeah. I just wish Adrian would get back in here and tell me what the results are."

"I just want you to know, whatever those results happen to be, we'll get through it. All of us. You, me, and Tifa. We'll beat this together."

She could do nothing more than nod, her face revealing not a trace of her uneasy disposition. The only sentiment shining through on her round face was optimism. Sarah felt God wouldn't punish anyone with rare eternal optimism and faith in the fates. She had so much to live for, so much to teach her daughter. There will be no blockade stopping her from experiencing all the ups and downs in her child's life. Sarah Lockheart was and would be a mother, not a patient.

"Sorry for the wait, guys," Dr. Adrian Gainsbourgh proclaimed, much to the surprise of the two awaiting individuals, before shutting the door to his office. He entered, immediately sat behind his desk, and removed the large spectacles from the bridge of his nose. Silence yet again reined superior much to Sarah's dismay.

"So?"

Dr. Gainsbourgh glanced from his male friend to his potential female patient and frowned. Rubbing at his temples, the middle aged physician closed his eyes to block out the expressions on the couple's face while beginning the much anticipated explanation, "I'll be frank. I looked over the tests and it doesn't look too good."

Daniel squeezed Sarah's hand only to have her squeeze back equally aggressive. He glanced over to the side for a split second and realized the tears that have long since brewed in her eyes had fallen down her lovely face. His heart strained its normal rhythmic beat as his chest concaved into itself, breathing becoming more difficult a task to perform. It was what he had feared since the moment he uttered the words _I do_. Throughout his 20 years of offering his love, promising to protect, and providing for his wife, it seemed as though it had all been for nothing. For the moment she needed him to protect her most, he couldn't do anything to alleviate her pain. He had failed.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

A young man in his early twenties ran breathlessly down the dimly illuminated back alley of Tucker's, Nibelheim's finest diner establishment. His short legs pounded the concrete in desperation as perspiration, and also what appeared to be tears, flowed down his rugged face. The cool breeze whizzing by him did nothing to cool his raging temperature. In fact, nature's thoughtful gesture seemed to only arouse his adrenaline due to noises he could have sworn belonged to his pursuer.

"Fuck! No," he screamed, slamming his fist against the brick wall which separated him from freedom. More tears fell from his eyes as he frantically surveyed the area for an escape.

"I didn't steal any money from the profits I got from Rude. I swear. All the money I got from him, man, is in the pot I gave to you. Please! I'm telling you the truth."

Cigarette smoke poured out from shadows the towering enclosed walls produced as footsteps echoed loudly down the narrow path. A very tall man with scraggly red hair emerged from what appeared to be hiding. The vivid scars under both eyes added emphasis to the frigid expression on his face as his mouth parted and rested the cigarette between two thin lips.

"What's my name?"

The hustler looked confused and a little scared. He began to back up against the imprisoning wall unsure of what was to come next. He had reversed himself so much so that it became questionable whether the man had actually fused his body together with the concrete.

"Did you say something?"

"N…no."

"N..no? I asked you a simple question so it should be y…yes," the red head exclaimed, pulling out a gun from his jacket lapel which was rewarded with a cowardly whimper, "Now that I have your undivided attention – What is my name?"

"R…Reno!" He screamed, noticing the stalker cock his gun without the slightest regard evident for the importance of human life. The expression on his face was unnaturally robotic, a picture perfect image of what a true sociopath should be. The man lacked empathy so reasoning with him was a lost cause. All the lackey could do now was do what he was told and speak when he was spoken to.

"Oh good," Reno breathed, placing the gun to his side and allowing a foreign smirk to grace his gaunt face, "For a second there I thought my name was Bozo 'cause of how much of a fucking clown you're making me look like!"

Both men were quiet and skeptical of the other's company, eyes barely blinking with extreme focus on the other. The green eyed monster smiled a cold and aloof smile which bore no sympathy or understanding. He stood, slouched over, cigarette butt still resting within the confines of a dry mouth. A murderer who trafficked drugs since puberty, Reno wasn't going to allow years of restrained humanity to surface now. Not over a trivial stain.

"Reno, I swear man, I didn't steal…"

"Shut the fuck up," he shouted, grabbing the cigarette from his mouth and flicking it at his ex-comrade's face, "I didn't ask you to speak."

He hissed as sparks hit his already unattractive face. The cigarette didn't inflict much pain, just a slight sting any normal burn would cause. The man had experienced unconceivable torture since he was but a youngster. Pain now, no matter which form it came in, was short lived and dull. His worn body refused to react any further than it already had during all these grueling years.

"Do you want to know why there is no hope for the human condition, Damien? First off, us bright eyed, bushy tailed humans are too busy blindly fucking to realize the condition's already been fucked beyond reparation. So why fuck when the fucking has no further effect? I mean, people do drastic things to get a reaction, right? I never really got the answer to that question. It was the one philosophical thing I remember about my father," Reno explained, removing another cigarette from the box in his pants pocket and placing it in his mouth while leaning up against one of the alley walls, "Now, how can we do our part in making the human condition respectable again?"

"I don't know," Damien mumbled, his lip quivering but looking towards waking up tomorrow morning. Reno had never spent this much time carrying on conversation with someone he deemed a traitor. If a mark was made, he would carry out the hit without second thoughts or wasting a single valuable second. There was still hope.

"Ok. Easier question, why is there no hope for the human condition?" The red head asked, taking a drag from his cigarette right after setting it ablaze, "Because people like to fuck. How can we do our part in making the human condition respectable again? By not fucking. See the conundrum here. We absolutely love to fuck in an unfuckable society. You want someone to make a sacrifice and clean up yet no one can stop fucking! Animals parading around for the rights of species they originally believed they were. What a trip."

"That is a fucking trip."

"Do you at least know what the moral of this story is?"

Damien nodded and laughed as though that would be a joke he would tell his buddies tonight at the local bar, "Don't fuck."

Smirking, Reno shook his head, "No, obviously there is no moral. I just like hearing myself talk."

Loud gunshots echoed menacingly off the walls and evaporated into the bustling sounds of Nibelheim society. The sky seemed to embrace the slight gray color polluting an otherwise crystal blue ocean as silence became much more deafening than the shrill screams of the small children walking the streets hand in hand with their parents.


	3. Come Together

Stolen

Chapter 3

_He wear no shoeshine_

_He got toe jam football_

_He got monkey finger_

_He shoot Coca Cola_

_He say, I know you, you know me_

_One thing I can tell you is you got to be free_

_Come together, right now, over me._

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"You'll love it here. Nibelheim is a great place to relocate. Scenery's beautiful. People are nice. It's just what we need to start over. You'll see."

Yuffie Kisaragi sat in the back of her father's used Sedan with an expression of contempt sprawled across her young face. The cool autumn wind blew wildly into her black hair as nude lips lip synched along with the CD in her player. Wutai seemed but a memory, she thought, watching the industrial part of downtown Midgar whiz by the beat up car like a nightmare. Her friends, her school, and her cozy home with the blue shutters and busted answering machine everybody complained so much about.

Her mother's voice had been on that answering machine. It was the happiest Yuffie could remember her being. Her father detested that message but it was understandable. The woman had walked out on him and their daughter without looking back or reconsidering her actions. Early one morning, she just picked up and left with no letter or phone call. He had thrown away the answering machine and passed out on whiskey later that night.

"You as excited as I am, kiddo?"

Violet eyes shifted from the great outdoors to the rearview mirror where a pair of onyx eyes appeared and stared without sign of eventual boredom. She just nodded and looked back out the window not wanting to start any controversy. Godo Kisaragi had a very short fuse. The lightly visible marks on her body were a testament to that observation. Yuffie had also speculated and eventually came to the solid conclusion that it had been the reason why her mother left. It made her silently seethe.

"It was very important to get away from Wutai," Godo explained, eyes growing colder with every spoken word, "We can't let your 'mother' think we've forgiven her. She deserves every miserable thing that's bound to happen to her. We can't be associated with trash, now can we?"

The preteen sighed, nodding her head again as though she were a desolate version of Pinocchio. She missed her mother so much yet resentment burrowed itself into her bloodstream allowing sympathy to go and just as easily pass. Yuffie had always wondered if her mother made a break for it with every intention of doubling back one day for her only child. Unfortunately, since Godo up and left merely a week after his wife's disappearance, whether or not her fate would ever ultimately go in that direction will always remain a mystery.

"What? You can't speak now? I spent almost half of my savings sending you to that fancy private school only to find out my daughter didn't even pick up simple vocabulary skills."

Dead silence continued to ring superior to all revolving sounds. She didn't even give her father the satisfaction of looking at the mirror where his eyes remained stern enough to penetrate the most solid resolve. He was getting angry; Yuffie could tell. The aura in the compact car was quickly taking a turn towards dangerous and for once, she embraced the darkness.

"You better fucking speak when you're being spoken to," Godo shouted, bushy eyebrows furrowing in fury at his daughter's blatant disrespect, "Do you hear me you little shit?"

The car came to a screeching halt followed by the driver unbuckling his seatbelt, reaching back, and smacking the child as hard as the distance could suffice. The side of Yuffie's face snapped back into the seat's headrest causing her headphones to slide off her ears and eyes closing tightly shut so tears would remain hidden. She silently cried within for the throbbing pain spreading throughout her left cheek.

"Are you going to answer me when I talk to you? Are you, you little asshole? Answer me!"

"Yes! I'll answer you," Yuffie screamed, keeping her eyes closed while cursing herself for the obvious crack in her voice. More tears surfaced under closed eyelids before freely making their debut down crimson cheeks. She hated him. The times when he would physically take out his frustrations on her, especially the days after his beloved's abandonment, she would lay awake at night wishing her mother had stuck a butcher knife through his chest on her way out the door.

"Don't be a bitch like your mother. I raised you better," the heavy set man stated, giving the youngster a hard look before turning back around, rebuckling his seatbealt, and continuing on his expedition cross country.

Yuffie refocused her watering gaze onto the scenery as she placed the fallen headset back on her ears as though nothing had happened. The rolling breeze felt good on her cheek, cooling the burning sensation down significantly. Father and daughter had moved away from Wutai to start over. A fresh start away from memories of the lying tramp as Godo had poignantly explained. But nothing would change. They would arrive in Nibelheim, unpack their belongings in a house that would never feel like a real home, and soon realize the ghosts they were running away from would be waiting patiently for their arrival.

Godo would continue to beat his little girl, his psyche too damaged to distinguish the realization that his daughter and estranged wife were two separate people. Yuffie would succumb to the appeal of living life as an empty shell. And the woman, who unwilling created this traumatizing ordeal, would forever haunt her family's legacy due to a simple choice she selfishly made for her own satisfaction.

"Nibelheim will be a great place to start over. It'll be the town responsible for the first chapter of our bright happy future," Godo declared, a wide grin beaming on his chiseled face, "...our bright happy future. The beginning to the rest of our prosperous lives."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_He looked over at his companion. His knuckles were white as his hands gripped the steering wheel tight. Her face was flushed, smooth porcelain skin stained with streaks of tears as her eyes remained looking ahead, numb, and without any sign of relocation. I love you, he wanted to shout, grabbing her fragile shoulders and kissing her quivering lips with promises he would suffer through until made possible. He wanted to hug her in hopes that she would ultimately meld into him, making all her pain his to bear. He wanted her to know he was nothing more than a vessel created for her and only her happiness. He not only wanted to whisper in her ear his undying loyalty but jump off the highest mountain with no parachute just because she asked him to prove it. He wanted her to know she was safe. That nothing would ever go wrong as long as he was by her side._

"She'll never forgive me."

The statement caught him off guard. He was so preoccupied in his sentiments that his wife seemed to lose credibility as a resident of the real world. Hands found a way to distance themselves from the wheel and onto the solace of his sweat ridden face.

"Who?"

She frowned as her eyes exchanged the vision of a luxury car for the man beside her, "Tifa. How am I going to tell her? She'll never forgive me for giving up. How can she forgive me if I can't even come close to forgiving myself?"

Dan closed his eyes and reached his arm around Sarah's narrow shoulders. He wanted to say so much. He wanted to tell her what he had been thinking moments before but knew expressing emotional frailty was something predetermined rather than spoken about on a whim. All the man wanted was for once to know the right thing to say. It didn't have to be poetic just sincere.

"I told you before, we'll get through this - the three of us together. We're family and a family does not turn their back when things get rough. Tifa won't have anything to forgive. All she will do is understand that these circumstances weren't anyone's fault and hostility is pointless."

He felt her relax in his embrace while watching a full head of thick chestnut hair falling over his shoulder. They sat together in the dark parking garage for a considerable amount of time. The sound of heartbeats and light breathing became the soundtrack of the moment; their thoughts running a marathon that lacked enough substance to be put into actual words.

"How are we going to tell her?" Sarah asked after allowing the negative side of an otherwise overactive imagination get the best of her.

"Don't worry. We'll figure something out."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Various old timers strolled down the street smiling and nodding at the lovely young girl engrossed with holding the baggage tight as to avoid any unnecessary accidents. She also smiled kindly and spoke brief salutations to familiar faces.

"Don't drop those eggs, Tifa. You know your mama will be sending you back to that grocery shop with no remorse."

"Of course," Tifa proclaimed, briefly pointing down at her legs "she knows how to profit from my working assets. Plus, I'm getting a little tired of hearing how many hours of excruciating labor I forced her through. I just gave up arguing with her and go when she asks me the first time."

"Smart girl."

She grinned before continuing down the street. One of the many downfalls of living in a small yet well populated town since birth was everyone from that small yet well populated town knew everything about you. Any bad habits - they knew about. Any late night escapades - they not only knew about but also let the parents know about. Even that birthmark on your left butt cheek was no longer sacred. The sewing circles were at an all time low but what they knew and chose to talk about was far harmful to a person's reputation than small, meaningless gossip.

Tifa also felt bitter apprehension at being compared to the other town's golden calf, Aeris. The two girls were placed so high on pedestals they could only make out the silhouettes of people who had originally put them up there in the first place. Aeris was praised for her stunning beauty and kind mannerisms while Tifa was the wise and funny girl people would go out of their way for a conversation with. She had constantly heard about Aeris through the other's chats and gained a good impression from the girl in pink. Unfortunately, that all changed when Tifa actually met her.

"The pageant queen makes her rounds and awaits patiently for the babies to kiss."

The small brunette walked right by her verbal aggressor without giving him the satisfaction of an acknowledging glance. Reno Perablo was a man of infinite injury and annoyance everyone in town either ignored or spoke harshly of. He was the last person Tifa wanted to end up associated with. His trouble was bound to become hers and she felt it would all begin with becoming acquaintances. So she walked on, paying no mind to the snide comments or intimate looks the red head gave her.

Reno smiled at her silent treatment, removed the cigarette from his mouth, and followed his prey down the street, "I thought pageant queens were supposed to want to change the world starting with the lowest of the low. Now you can't change the lowest of the low and ultimately the world by simply ignoring them."

"No, but I can prevent my day from completely going down the shitter by pushing this chance meeting into the back of my subconscience like a traumatizing memory," she spat, picking up her pace while tightening her grip on the shopping bag, "It'll be like these minutes of pointless communication never happened. Reno? Who's that?"

"Tifa, I'm hurt and appalled especially considering the mere fact that I'm unforgettable," Reno proclaimed before winking at the young woman. He loved to see her get mad. Whenever Tifa got mad she showed a very uncharacteristic form of sassiness. It made her less perfect and more human, something he would give his kidney to see even merely depicted in Tifa Lockheart.

"Go away, Reno! I far from sympathize with you."

"You think I'm that disgusting? Take a walk in my shoes, sugar, and then pass judgments on me."

Tifa stopped, burgundy eyes cold and impatient, and angrily declared without remorse or consideration for the curiosity of ongoing commuters, "I don't have to walk in your shoes, you're a fucking speck, Reno! A vile, shameless, and incredibly trivial speck. If you died tomorrow, the only sentiment felt would be minor disappointment because time in advance would be necessary to plan the block party which will ultimately be your funeral. You know, with music, banners, and a piñata."

"You can really be a bitch, you know that, Lockheart?"

"Yeah? And you're a pervert with no grasp of reality," she hissed, pushing Reno out of her way and continuing on her quest home, "Leave me alone. You have no chance in hell with me. Go take advantage of some other neuron lacking, breast implant statistic."

Reno, in anger, rushed to the retreating brunette, grabbed her arm, and, when no one was noticing, quickly pushed her into the alley he had only moments emerged from. She dropped the fragile bag in shock and proceeded to scream, but her aggressor placed one of his hands over her mouth and began speaking, "You don't know who I am, you don't know anything about my past or my present so the fucking smart remarks prove your own naive ignorance. You think you're a connoisseur to this world but your not. You're a punk ass teenage bitch who walks around with her head up her ass because her parents are respected and the town worships the ground she walks on. You wait, one day, your world will come crashing down around you and the confusion will drive you to do things you never thought you were capable of doing. You wait, it'll happen, and it'll happen when you least expect it."

She stared up into beautiful pools of magnetic green. His eyes were full of passion, a fire that Tifa hadn't seen anyone she had ever encounter possess. He stared into her, through her, and around her; the heat of the moment causing her mouth to dry and attitude to falter. The closeness of his lean body against hers caused anticipation and fear of her own impure thoughts. Her eyes closed as her mind whispered a prayer that the "speck" would unhand her along with the manipulation he was harboring over her raging hormonal mind.

A soft laugh echoed through the dark, enclosed area; words soon sternly replacing the intimidating sound, "When things get remotely heated, you close your eyes and you say I'm the one who wants you in a sexually related way? You're a child. I may be a lot of things but I'm not a pedophile. You've got a lot of growing up to do before I consider looking at you as anything more than just a prissy, snot nosed nuisance."

Reno unhanded Tifa and backed away before pulling out a cigarette to satisfy his intense nicotine craving. His eyes traced every aspect of her, starting with her hair and ending at her feet. She was beautiful; it was one thing the social leper could not deny. But practically every aspect she possessed was lacking. Reno loved tall women with long blonde hair, big blue eyes, a busty figure, and knockers that would rival any planet in the standard alignment. And what was Tifa Lockheart? She was a petite girl with short brown hair, burgundy eyes, a thin frame, and decent knockers but nothing that would rock the planetary alignment. Barely anything for him to gawk at, but yet something to make him wonder about.

"See you around, and be sure that I really do mean that, love."

Tifa watched the man who made her skin crawl by mere thought walk away in a cloud of smoke. Her mouth was parted open in lack of discourse as her one hand touched the arm his hand had viciously grasped. He was a pig who thought too much about himself. He reeked of failure and havoc; not to mention the stench of booze and smoke had clung to him for so long it now became his sole essence. He was too skinny and years of drugs had made his face look haggard and older than he really was. But there was something inside when she glared up at him. Something raw, real, and unbelievably sincere. It was something so appealing, Tifa couldn't bear to look away.

The teenager allowed her rubber legs to solidify for the first time within that ten minute span and move towards the discarded grocery bag. Her hands shook as they reached down to touch the object. Was she a bigot? Everyday, she walked around town embracing the praise her neighbors showered her with yet still convinced herself she was her own person, different. What was the real reason she shunned Reno? Was it because Tifa truly feared for her own safety or was it really because she feared being ostracized? She told herself all along she was nothing like Aeris, arrogant and small minded, but looking back at her actions and mirroring their reactions, she's beginning to think twice.

"Son of a bitch," Tifa muttered, picking up the bag and noticing the thick yellow substance leaking out of the bottom.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_He stuck to the shadows as meditating eyes focused on the pretty girl in pink. She brushed a lock of soft brown hair out of her eyes while sitting down by the well. He knew why she was there. She was going to meet **him**. The thought made his stomach churn and the bitter anger burrowed deep within his gut to ruthlessly arise. Jealousy had resulted in this monstrous transformation and the man he had become was the man he hated her for creating. So, he watched her in the pink dress waiting for the man who stood between him and his much deserved sanity._

_Alas, **he **arrives. Blonde and chivalrous, the prince enters on his white horse to woo the princess and whisk her away to his castle in the sky. The scenario made him clench his fists and dig trimmed nails into his palms. He began to despise the tricks she played on him, but fortunately his heart protested far too much for the simple despising of trickery to become anything more than that. He longed for her. He longed to hold her in his arms and kiss every birthmark on her elegant neck until she eventually fell asleep. He wanted her so badly. The yearning became so immense that sharing her any more than he already has was not a further option. Ridicule and possible imprisonment was child's play compared to the delusions of a misled imagination._

_He stole one more glance at his beloved and walked away. He would get what he wanted consequences aside. No more games. _

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"My one and only's sitting by the well with a look of extreme concentration on her face...Should I immediately rush her to the hospital and check out how many blood vessels she ruptured by facial contortion alone or wait until her skin's an unnatural shade of red just to avoid any extra convenience charges at the ER for false pretenses?"

Aeris smirked at the familiar voice and turned her gaze over to the side where her boyfriend resided, "Until my skin's an unnatural shade of red? You must really want me out of the picture."

"No, the picture looks a lot better with you standing in it," Cloud announced, perching himself beside the fair skinned love of his life and planting a kiss on her cheek. He looked up at the sky and closed his eyes as to enjoy the day's dwindling warmth on his skin more efficiently. He was more than happy to be out of the constricting supermarket environment. The desire for escape was so intense, it caused Cloud to countdown the days until graduation. Graduation and the day he could make that overhyped corporate monstrosity nothing more than distant memory.

"Do you ever wonder what it would be like if we never met?"

He opened his eyes and looked over at Aeris quicker than he intended. The question was so out of the blue it left the blonde speechless. There were times were Cloud caught himself guiltily asking himself 'what if' but never to the extent where contact was concern. He didn't know where this was going or even came from but what he did know was he didn't like the possible karma that could be associated with it.

"I mean, did you ever ask yourself what life would be like if me and you never met or dated?" Aeris asked, her usual confidence setting along with the sun. She shifted her eyes over at Cloud and took in his expression. He looked exactly as she expected and it gave her some incentive. At least she had some kind of premeditated control over this conversation.

"To be honest I asked myself what it would be like if we never dated but I never asked myself what things would be like if we never met. Do you regret us?"

"No! You were always good to me, Cloud," she proclaimed, placing her hand on his shoulder in comfort, "I really want you to know that I appreciate everything you've done for me. I want you to know that I care so much about you and that you took such good care of me. I wouldn't trade what we had for anything."

"So what's with the question?"

She frowned again. How could she make things work with Zack if she wasn't willing to give up Cloud. In a way, both men symbolized very appealing character traits to Aeris. Cloud was funny, kind, considerate, affectionate, polite, and incredibly patient. He was the man her parents loved and constantly asked her to bring to supper. The man who got along with her friends, whether they were friendly or sarcastic. It was impossible to find a quality man like that in the world so what exactly were her chances of finding someone that perfect in Nibelheim?

And no, she wasn't going to counter that rhetorical question by mentioning Zack because Zack was anything but perfect. He was quick tempered, jealous, possessive, too opinionated, and foul mouthed. He was the man she would tell her parents chauffeured her real boyfriend around when necessary. They would never approve of him. Not of his mannerisms. Not of his clothes. And especially, not of his job. Zack was the direct result of Cloud's exorcism. The evil twin. But, no matter how imperfect this working man was, he did possess something that Cloud Strife did not have. Her heart.

"I was just wondering. That's all."

"C'mon, Aeris, questioning our relationship involves some kind of issue. Just talk to me."

Aeris sighed, "I'm just a little jealous of Tifa. There's just something between you two that makes me wonder whether you want me out of the picture to see what could develop. I'm sorry, especially if I'm wrong. I don't mean to be so petty."

More guilt inhabited the young socialite as she watched her boyfriend's normal happy-go-lucky expression transform into one of serious contemplation. This wasn't a complete lie. Cloud and Tifa's close friendship had made her feel uncomfortable, but she never put much effort into questioning it. Aeris felt she had no right considering her very own predicament. It would have been the pot calling the kettle black, or so they say.

"Aeris," Cloud began while putting his arm around her and battling guilt of his own, "I've known Tifa since I was a kid. Her mom baby-sat me until I was old enough to take care of myself. We're old friends and that's it. Line drawn. _You're_ my girlfriend and I couldn't be happier. Don't be so apprehensive about Tifa and me because it's nothing you should worry about."

"I know, and like I said, I'm sorry for being petty. I just get a little nervous sometimes."

He embraced Aeris and rested his chin on the crook of her neck. Tifa wasn't far from his mind and fibbing to his girlfriend about possible feelings wasn't something he was exactly proud of. Cloud had this internal debate earlier today and the conclusion seemed plausible. Tifa was just an outlet for the stress he was experiencing in his relationship. Once things improved, the stress as well as the fantasies would cease to exist. He has had a crush on his best friend since the minute harmones replaced a chronic fear of cooties. It made sense the girl he chose to picture himself with in times of turmoil would be her.

_That was all it was_, he told himself, _just a fluke. A coincidence._

Aeris felt the comforting warmth emulate from the well toned body of her beau and sighed again. She would never be able to do this. Before, she couldn't even muster the courage to ask the simple question, "Do you regret?" and now that she refused to chicken out and approached the unapproachable, the main idea of this whole discussion was left behind in the shadows of her cowardice. She shamed her self worth by not satisfying her needs, shamed Zack by continuing to prove how _dirty_ this secret truly was, and shamed Cloud for being the woman who cheated a perfect man. Her heart felt heavier than usual.


	4. Yesterday

A/N : I'm sorry this story seems slow and not reaching the juicy stuff as quickly as you may like. I needed to set scenery and develop relationships so you can see how all the main characters interact. This is the last chapter devoted to that intent. From here on out, you can sort of call it the beginning of the end. I hope you enjoy. Please, don't forget to R&R. Thank you.

Stolen

Chapter 4

_Yesterday_

_All my troubles seemed so far away_

_Now it looks as though they're here to stay_

_Oh, I believe in yesterday_

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_"Found ya!"_

_Tifa emerged from hiding by her favorite part of the well, dusted off her knees, and rolled her eyes, "It's about time. I thought I had to flag you down so I wouldn't have to kneel anymore!"_

_The small blonde boy smiled, one of his front teeth missing, before rolling his own blue eyes in playful annoyance. Night had already fallen over the desolate town as the stars shone brightly against the dark navy pigments which painted in sky all the grievances experienced throughout the day. Tifa, the cute little pigtailed tomboy, lightly punched her friend on the shoulder and ran to the top of the well screaming, "Base! Can't get me!"_

_"You know, you can't keep using that excuse," he muttered, soon enough following his aggressor to the top in defeat. He sat on the edge, took a glance over at Tifa, and shifted his eyes towards the sky in thoughtful reverie._

_"You think aliens are looking down at us right now?"_

_He snickered before looking over at his neighbor and declaring, "There's no such thing as aliens, stupid."_

_"Sure there are," Tifa fired back, "but, you see, instead of abducting people, they abduct brains. That's why boys don't have any."_

_"So, is that your way of telling me you're really a boy?"_

_She pinched Cloud's arm and received the desired yelp of pain. Sticking out her tongue, Tifa continued, "It makes me feel better thinking they exist. It makes me feel better knowing someone's out there looking over me and protecting me, my mom, and my dad. Kind of like a guardian angel."_

_"Aren't aliens supposed to take over the world, not protect it?"_

_"Not these aliens."_

_Tifa smiled at Cloud and looked up at the sky; her thoughts were transparent as her head became an X-ray solely for observational purposes. He stared at the philosophical child beside him and for the first time, under the soft embrace of moonlight, noticed how pretty she was. A blush crept across his cheeks causing him to look elsewhere. He hoped she hadn't noticed. Blue eyes side glanced the object of his embarrassment and happily realized her gaze was still on the sky and away from his unintentional display of attention._

_"You know," Cloud began, already feeling the original heat of his face rapidly increase while questions of his appreciation for self masochism arose, "I can watch over you and protect you when you need me to."_

_She looked surprised at first, making his face grow brighter, but as time lapsed the shock manifested itself into another thousand watt smile. The blonde sighed in relief and returned the friendly smile._

_"You want to protect me?"_

_"Sure."_

_"You might make the aliens jealous."_

_"I'll take my chances."_

_Tifa kept a grin on her face as well as dark eyes on her newly appointed knight in shining armor. This time, a soft rosy blush appeared on her own cheeks much to her disdain._

_"Well, if you want to do something as important as protecting me, we have to make this official. Let's shake on it!"_

_A small eager hand snapped out and awaited contact. Cloud looked down at the gesture and in return extended his own to seal the deal. As both tan and fair hands reached out to meet, the tan one grabbed an unexpecting wrist and flipped the fair hand palm up. Tifa quickly took the initiative and spit onto the palm before laughing and successfully jumping from the well into freedom._

_"Now you're stuck with me, buddy! I left my mark."_

_"Ugh!" Cloud wiped the saliva from his hand onto his jeans and watched as brown waves tumbled through the gusts of wind and behind a small quickly retreating figure. He should have seen that coming._

Tifa Lockheart exited the supermarket and once again started towards home, this time around hoping for no further run ins with the town's premiere rebel without a cause. The sun was beginning to slowly set, the cool afternoon breeze becoming one of arctic proportions. This streets, as they normally became this time during the evening, were lonely and containing less than a handful of wandering travelers. She couldn't believe it had taken this long to simply pick up eggs from the market. Dusk had fallen and here she stood with the same basic packaging possessed from earlier this afternoon.

Lately, it seemed that Tifa's life had become nothing but a series of very unfortunate mishaps. People would say she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time or that fate had chosen her to extract its practical joke upon. If that were the case, fate lacked a relatable sense of humor because she wasn't laughing at the punchline. And that said a lot considering Tifa could take a joke, whether or not she was the butt.

"Stupid son of a bitch," the dark eyed girl exclaimed to herself about her red headed nuisance, "Stupid, stupid son of a bitch!"

Thanks to Reno, Tifa would face yet another lecture about the importance of punctuality and be even more late meeting up with Elena. Elena Davalos, her best girlfriend since the third grade, was starting to get agitated with constantly being stood up and it was beginning to show the morning after. It even got to the point where the fact that the blonde still chose to bother with her astounded Tifa. There were numerous times where she didn't speak to her for more than the normal two day span but then out of nowhere, Tifa would get a note (WANNA GRAB SOME FOOD AFTER SCHOOL?) and everything would be okay again.

"I'm gonna stick my fucking heel in his cornea and then we'll see if he can pick me out of crowd of people to annoy! Asshole. Spaz. Degenerate. Skid mark."

"Fucker. Derelict. Cunt."

She jumped, grocery bag almost remaking direct contact with the floor, and glanced over at the source of her thought's interruptions. The sight was nothing Tifa expected. To her left, she noticed that the foul language came from a small girl smoking a cigarette by the well. Her hair was short, shaggy, and dark as two large orbs constituting the mystical doorway to the soul were slightly darker in comparison. She was very thin, a sweater hanging off her body and jeans practically falling away from narrow hips. Her appearance was a likely testament to hard times.

"I didn't mean to scare you. I heard you stringing along a bunch of common words and I couldn't help but add to them."

Tifa laughed, held her chest, and explained, "Well, the next time you go into a verbal frenzy, make yourself known. You can give someone heart failure with that kind of stealth."

She smiled as well, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, just try not to do it again. You new here? I haven't seen you around."

"It's a big town, maybe I blended in."

The alpha female laughed again and shifted the bag from her right to left arm, "If you choose to use words like big and blended to describe Nibelheim, you might as well wrap the cowbell around your neck and strap a sign to your back. Newbie or tourist?"

"Newbie."

"Ah," Tifa sighed with a smirk, "Well, newbie, welcome to our humble town. I'm Tifa."

"Yuffie," the young teenager declared before flicking the cigarette aside and exhaling the carbon monoxide from her parted mouth. It surprised Yuffie that someone would even bother to talk to her; it surprised her even more that someone older and possibly popular among her peers had bothered to talk to her. In Wutai, she had her share of friends but they would constantly betray her for higher playground status or just because they thought it would be funny to see the look on her face. She hated her friends.

"It's nice to meet you, Yuffie. You ever need anything, I live in that house right there," the native stated while pointing over to the only house in the vicinity with a garden and stairs leading down instead of up.

"Should I expect another family opening the door and getting the broom just to remove me from their property?"

"You've gotta work on your faith. You never know, someone might just surprise you."

Yuffie shrugged and ran her hand through ebony forrest of soft strands. Her eyes glanced to the side momentarily but almost immediately fell back on Tifa. The golden orange fingers of the sun's retreating figure extended and touched the pain in the child's eyes. They were haunted with sadness and regret, lacking neither hope or faith. It caused Tifa to bite her tongue and silently curse her own blatant ignorance. The girl didn't need to be reminded of the sentiments she lost and would possible never recover again.

"I really did mean that. If you need anything, I live over there. And if it makes you feel any better, my family's more taken with the vacuum cleaner. We threw out our broom when this technological wonder came into our lives."

She smirked, causing the murky color of her eyes to lighten significantly. Lifting herself from the comfortable position on the cool grass, Yuffie spoke, "Thank you. I appreciate your kindness."

Tifa watched her stuff bony hands into her pockets while walking away from the scene. She never looked back, not even a glimmer of onyx apparent, and continued to glide away until her lanky frame became a silhouette and the silhouette blended back into the vibrant orange and red of the sky. The girl hunched and her footsteps were slow, almost heavy in comparison to her overall weight. Tifa saw reluctantance in her eyes; it was the last thing she saw before Yuffie disappeared. It was almost as if she wanted to leave that as her lasting impression.

"Take care," the spectator whispered while staring ahead at the direction Yuffie had taken. Sadness, so much sadness. So young, too young to carry a weight that gigantic. How could a girl of that caliber keep any burden so close to her heart without cracking much less a burden that tore down a wall and obliterated self preservation? So sad. So young. Tifa would visit her tomorrow and try to find out more.

Turning around, Tifa ran face first into a broad chest and jumped nearly out of her skin. She grabbed the bag and held it against her body like a chid in dire danger before screaming, "Stop doing that!"

Cloud laughed and held the smaller individual's shoulders with sympathy. He laughed more than he intended and in return feeling Tifa's elbow gently hitting his vibrating stomach to silence the obnoxious sound resonating in her ears. It caused the laughter to knock itself down a notch into chuckling.

"Shut up! You startled me."

"It's not my fault you scare easy," Cloud teased while pushing his best friend back playfully. The expression on her face was classic and, he would never openly admit it, kind of cute. His laughter died down but the warm smile remained as proof that this feisty, over-opinionated girl brought him nothing but happiness and undeniable amusement.

"Whatever, it's also not my fault people choose to do the run around and sneak up behind me," Tifa declared, sticking out her tongue and turning her head to the side in mock insult.

"Uh huh."

"Nice night," the small enthusiast pointed out in an attempt to change the subject. She watched him light up a cigarette and walk towards the well making himself more comfortable. Like a follower to a glorified leader, she also gravitated to the well and sat next to the intruder after placing the grocery bag down easy. She knew she should be getting home, but it seemed like whenever Cloud fell behind she couldn't help but fall right with him.

"Who was that chick you were talking to?" The blonde asked while taking a drag from the smoke and then passing it to his companion.

Tifa received the cigarette and took a drag herself. Exhaling and giving it back to Cloud, she shook her head before simply stating, "Yuffie. I don't know much about her just that she moved her today."

"How long has it been since we actually got new people in this town?"

"Minus newborns and the construction workers who not only built this dead end from scratch but renovate it now and then, I would say never. You're basically born into this oppression I'm far from proud of, outsiders be gone!"

"Always so dramatic."

"If by dramatic you mean honest, then guilty as charged."

Cloud laughed and shook his head. He looked at the brunette beside him, continuing to passively smoke, and traced her profile in his mind. Her forehead lead down, like a rollercoaster drop, to the deep indent that formed the diving board illusion of her nose. In turn, it dipped lower and eventually farther out to create two very plump lips which where usually tinted a bare shade of brown. Curving in again, well proportioned lines drew into existence a small narrow chin which ended at a thin, elongated neck. The single eyebrow in plain viewpoint was black and thick yet shapely. He inhaled the cigarette smoke and silently cursed himself for being the chump that was constantly oogling Tifa. This wasn't right. Not when he had his own girlfriend to oogle.

"You remember when we came up here as kids," Tifa pointed out with a whimsical expression on her face, "Lancelot had nothing on you that night."

"I remember. And I want you to know that what I remember still stands. If you ever need anything, just ask and I'm there."

Burgundy eyes closed as a smile formulated on thick lips. She allowed the overall sensation of how she felt take complete control of her. Feelings, as powerful as a tumultuous freak of nature, washed over her heart with purifying purposes. Feelings, containing enough strength to carry the world to the other side of the vast universe, caused her internal organs to synchronize its beat and increase the volume to deafening proportions. Tifa had never felt more secure in her entire life. So, when she realized the boy sitting next to her had provided her with such feelings of adequacy, the butterflies, with pure delight at their reappearance after hiding away in the shadows for such a long period of time, fluttered wildly in her stomach.

"You okay, Tifa?" Cloud asked as he quirked up a blonde eyebrow and placed a single hand on the shoulder of the shut eyed beauty. He watched as she looked over and smiled a warm ray of light in his direction. Dark eyes possessed in them a sentiment Cloud had never seen before. A look of affection and trust. A look that did a little more than tip the scales of friendship.

"Cloud..."

Tifa, losing any mental capability and grasp on reality, leaned forward and placed her lips on his gently. She felt her inhibitions being slowly released from her body while experiencing what she had constantly imagined whenever he came around. She allowed the kiss the deepen and shivered from Cloud's hands on her waist pulling her closer to him. This was wrong. He had a girlfriend. He had "status." What would the people of this forsaken town think of them when they found out about their indiscretion.

"Wait," she breathed, silently kicking herself for stopping the good feelings inside her from taking total control. She felt the blue eyed boy pull back but still keeping his hands where they originally were, "We shouldn't do this. You have a girlfriend and I have too many standards holding me back from doing something this stupid."

"I don't care," Cloud breathed before putting his mouth back on hers passionately yet with a gentle caress of care. He felt the smooth texture of her tongue slither into his mouth making his grip around her body tighten in excitement. A sudden flash of Aeris came to mind which, this time, made him be the one to push back, "Wait. You're right. This isn't right."

"I know."

Tifa wiped her mouth and removed any lipstick that crept, like a toddler to a coloring book, outside the lines. She didn't look at him as his hands reluctantly went from her hips to himself. Embarrassment weighed the atmosphere down with fear and regret. A stray strand of chocolate entwined itself within slender fingers as the possessor of both hair and fingers bit her lower lip and kicked herself for an action so rash. He would never be the same around her after this. Tifa might as well tell Cloud that they could no longer be friends. That the kiss had ruined anything more their friendship could have evolve into.

"I hope you're not blaming yourself for this," Cloud declared, breaking the awkward silence and regaining the light of rich wine colored eyes on him once again, "Lately, I've been wondering what it would be like to kiss you. I fantasized what it would be like to actually be with you instead of just being your friend. Every daydream I had, though, would always be interrupted by Aeris. I do love her and it makes me guilty every time I think of you. Don't even get me started what the thought of her did to me when I actually kissed you."

"You've been thinking about me?"

"Yeah. I have."

This time, it was Cloud who looked away in shame. Somehow, no matter how innocent his reverie truly was, he felt like a pervert. He pictured her being disgusted with him for holding her memory as something more than platonic. Pictured her walking away from him, never again being able to look him in the eye for as long as he stood rotting away in this town. The frown on his face deepened when he thought about not only losing Tifa as a close friend, but also Aeris as a girlfriend. Word got around here quick and it was only a matter of time before Aeris's suspicions of his true feelings and intentions with Tifa were confirmed.

"I've been thinking about you too. The way you make me laugh, the way you listen instead of looking elsewhere and only pretending your listening, and the way I see you treat Aeris like she was beyond gold status. I've dated so many jerks that I started wondering what if we met for a reason. What if you were the one guy I'm supposed to be with to be happy? I started thinking about that question a lot and thinking about that question made me think about 'us.'"

His eyes darted to the side and focused on his materialized dream induced manifestation. This was exactly what he wanted. He had fantasized about her revealing her hidden feelings for him for so long but now that the time had actually come, he sat frozen and unsure. Cloud would be damned if he let this go for it could have been an opportunity that chose to only knock once. He had been with Aeris for so long that he had no idea what else was out there. Aeris represented Nibelheim and Tifa was the world he yearned to discover. Whereas Nibelheim was home and where he would run to for safety, the world out there revealed craving and uncertainty that fueled his adrenaline. The world provided excitement whereas Nibelheim was a safe haven, boring but a place that would remain in his heart forever.

"This is what you want? You're sure?" Cloud asked, the look on his face becoming as serious an expression as he could muster.

"This is what I knows right. If I don't give this a try, I'll regret it."

He smiled and kissed Tifa once more before standing up, offering his hands to her for support, and running his hand through her hair before explaining, "I'm gonna go talk to Aeris tomorrow. I'll meet up with you here tomorrow night, okay?"

She smiled and nodded in return. Knowing there were eyes everywhere, Tifa back away, touched the bottom of her eye to an understanding Cloud, and declared, "I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight, Cloud."

"Goodnight."

Tifa picked up her desolate bag, turned around, and allowed her smile to broaden as she walked towards her house in pure content. Her world was more right side up than ever and she couldn't help but look forward to tomorrow. It was only eight o'clock but the sooner she went to sleep the sooner she would awake and see the bringer of her blindingly bright and happy future.

Elena would understand.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"You're here late."

Zack didn't look but only continued to repair the torn sail of the expensive yacht floating lonely in the dark, cold water of the harbor. His rough hands dismounted the cloth from its comfort zone, took in the approximate damage, and estimated the time it would take to fully reconstruct it. Along with being a fisherman, Zack had taken odd jobs from Nibelheim's rich and elite suburbanites to earn some money on the side. The sail had taken a heavy blow and if it wasn't for the fisherman's confidence there would have been no hope in a resurrection. No resurrection, no payment and that was not exceptable. He didn't waste his time for nothing.

"I thought you would've been home by now so I went to your apartment first. I was pretty surprised when I didn't find you there," Aeris explained while walking closer to her deeply concentrating significant other. She stopped in her tracks when her eyes met disturbed onyx ones.

"I'm not at home, I'm working so I can earn a living. We all can't lead pampered lives now can we?" he angrily spat while dusting off his hands, arising from his crouched position, and stomping towards the much smaller girl he had given his heart to, "Which brings me to ask, why aren't you in your little castle with the queen and king? Is that lifestyle boring you, came here to slum it for a while and offer some charity? Well, darling, shove it back up the hole it came out of because I don't need your charity. Come to think of it, I don't need anything of yours so get the hell out of here. Save the martyr act for some other poor pitiful soul easily manipulated by the face and nifty leg separation trick."

Furiously, Aeris slapped Zack across the face as hard as she possibly could while tears blinded her line of vision as efficiently as her anger, "You're such an asshole! I came here to see how you were and apologize to you! I came here to tell you how sorry I was for dragging you along this twisted immature prepubescent trail and that I was ready to break up with Cloud so you and I could have a life together! So we could have a mature relationship that didn't have to be hidden like a skeleton in the closet. I wanted to tell you I love you but those intentions are so far gone just like my drive to be with you. It's over!"

"Wait," Zack exclaimed after shaking off the sting the hand of anger had inflicted and grabbing the retreating girl by the wrist, "It was really cold what I said and I'm sorry for it, but can you blame me for being this pissed off? I love you so much and I can't keep sharing you with some other guy. This shit is tearing me up and I can't take it anymore! Don't break up with me, I love you and I'm sorry for saying what I did. Please."

The petite figure halted her struggle and turned around to look up into sincere eyes through thick blankets of moisture. Aeris silently cried and placed her free hand on her face to hide any remnants of pain. She felt her wrist being tugged as her body fell forwards into Zack's chest. His arms encircled her while his face burrowed into the side of her neck and whispered apologizes along with pleas for her to stop crying. He rubbed her back with soothing intentions and when her sobs seemed to disintegrate, the older man pulled back, keeping his hands on her shoulders, and asked, "You wanna spend the night?"

Receiving a nod, he rubbed her shoulders and went back to the sail to pack it away for the night. He has had plenty of relationships in the past where he had been involved with women who were either single, had broken it off with their boyfriend because of him, was still dating their boyfriend while he was with them, and even women who were married. Zack was beginning to think that this was his punishment for all previous sins. Funny how this redemption had happened with a girl illegally younger than him.

This, in Aeris's mind, was beginning to become a constant. She had forgiven him for his sudden outburst because, in a way, she didn't blame him for the anger and jealousy his impatience had caused. She would have to break up with Cloud or the situation would get worse, but it was much more difficult than she had originally anticipated. As the days went by, Aeris knew she had developed feelings for the blonde hair, blue eyed boy next door. It didn't compare to the candle she held for Zack but it was still powerful enough to cause hesitation in her plans to end their relationship. She had told Zack that Cloud was only a diversion from getting him into trouble with the law. That indication was a mere 50 percent valid.

"You wanna grab a bite to eat before we head back?" Zack asked while putting his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"No. I'm not really that hungry. I just wanna head back and go to sleep."

He nodded and began to lead the girl back to his apartment. The trip was quiet, both individuals lost in their own train of thought. It was obvious things were changing. Change, in this case, wasn't necessarily a good thing but instead something the two were willing to endure and suffer through if it meant coming out together. They knew these grievances would either make or break their union. The storm was coming and both Aeris and Zack felt the calm every natural disaster offer as compensation for the destruction it would ultimately bring.

Zack gripped the shorter girl's shoulders and in return, feeling an arm loop around his waist squeezing in reassurance.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"After a decade I have returned from my adventure bearing the gift of bread and eggs," Tifa shouted while shutting the door behind her, "I know I'm late but in return for my tardiness, I'm giving you the eggs hatched from a golden chicken and bread baked from a virginal priestess that's not only rumored to be the best bread on the face of the planet but also capable of blessing whoever eats it with eternal youth. Now, which is better, me on time or eternal youth? That should be a..."

Tifa stopped her bantering once she entered the living room and saw her parents sitting on the couch with a look of dread on their face. Her mother had been crying, red puffy eyes looking down towards the ground, while her father had his arm around his grieving wife and eyes on his daughter. The atmosphere of the room made Tifa sick and regretting walking into it in the first place.

"What's going on?"

Her throat was dry, nerves shaking, and palms profusely sweating. She trembled with the same amount of dread as her parent's expressions were contorted in. In a way, she wished she had never asked the question and longed to live in her own ignorance. In another way, she wanted to run and erase this terrible confliction from her memory. To run into Cloud's arms where she had previously been to be safe, blissfully happy, and protected from all bad things fate had in store for her. Tifa didn't want this and almost cried for her misfortune.

"Your mother and I went to the doctors today," Daniel Lockheart firmly stated, never allowing his eyes to leave his daughter's even in certain drastic times of weakness, "Sit down, we need to talk."


	5. A Feast of Friends

Wow, I'm sick of doubt  
Live in the light of certain  
South  
Cruel bindings.  
The servants have the power  
Dog-men and their mean women  
Pulling poor blankets over  
Our sailors

I'm sick of dour faces  
Staring at me from the TV  
Tower, I want roses in  
My garden bower; dig?  
Royal babies, rubies  
Must now replace aborted  
Strangers in the mud  
These mutants, blood-meal  
For the plant that's plowed.

They are waiting to take us into  
The severed garden  
Do you know how pale and wanton thrillful  
Comes death on a strange hour  
Unannounced, unplanned for  
Like a scaring over-friendly guest you've  
Brought to bed  
Death makes angels of us all  
And gives us wings  
Where we had shoulders  
Smooth as raven's  
Claws

No more money, no more fancy dress  
This other kingdom seems by far the best  
Until it's other jaw reveals incest  
And loose obedience to a vegetable law.

I will not go  
Prefer a feast of friends  
To the giant family.

Jim Morrison 1943-1971

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"So, you and your friend, Cloud, were getting pretty close."

Sitting up straight, Tifa stared at the ceiling with one arm behind her neck and the other hanging comfortably to support a dwindling cigarette. Reliving these memories was becoming harder than she expected. It was difficult realizing how many once and a lifetime opportunities she had blown by making stupid choices. So many things could have been different if she hadn't taken the easy way out.

"Yes."

"What changed?" The doctor asked while placing the expensive ballpoint pen she was writing with down on her pad and removing designer glasses from penetrating eyes.

"My choices. He was willing to be there for me even when I started fucking up beyond belief," Tifa explained, taking a quick drag from her smoke without refocusing her gaze away from mundane ceiling tiles, "I pushed him away and told him I didn't need him. It came to the point where we weren't even friends anymore."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Her breathing was heavy; body weak and barely responding. She cried as the cold air slapped against her face and stung the tracks fallen tears had created. She didn't know why she was running but if on the way a hole was discovered, Tifa Lockheart would be no stranger to burrowing herself within its confines. She wanted to disappear; physically, mentally, and spiritually.

_"As you know, your mother hasn't been feeling very well lately," Mr. Lockheart began while placing a comforting hand on his wife's back, "So, we went to the doctors to see what the problem was."_

The town was so quiet, it was almost surreally comforting. There were no gossiping neighbors or scenes of drama from disputing couples. It was pure serenity, from the clear starry sky to the frigid cobblestone floor. Tifa continued to run until her sobs began to clog up a breathless windpipe. The impact caused her to stop dead in her tracks, cough, and vomit from the unnecessary gagging her nerves had selfishly procured.

_"Tifa, I'm so sorry," Sarah had busted out before standing up and grabbing her daughter into an embrace._

_"What's going on? Mom, please tell me."_

Tears mixed with bile as the cold air caused her to convulse. She tried as hard as she could to keep control. Spitting out the foul taste, Tifa wiped her mouth after clearing her flushed cheeks of excess moisture. She was a mess and that much was obvious. But appearances aside, a much more important question arose in the back of her haunted mind. She couldn't go home so where was she going to spend the night?

_"Honey," Tiff's mother began, caressing the young girl's cheek lovingly and fighting back dominating tears, "I went to the doctor's today and he told me I had been sick for a while. He told me I should have come to him sooner."_

Tifa took a deep breath and continued walking, shoulders hunched and hands submerged within welcoming pockets to escape from the blistering cold. She had plenty of options when it came to roofs over her head but when it came to being sheltered, a viable reason had to be provided. The reason, at least the true reason for her current homeless stature, wasn't something she wanted to merely fill people in on much less discuss in depth. The well would be as good a place to sleep as any.

_"What are you talking about? Stop beating around the bush and please just tell me. Please."_

Sighing, the brunette walked towards the run down well and took a seat against its surface. It wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, especially when the only attire on her body was jeans and a t-shirt during such a chilly night. Cradling her body within her arms, Tifa leaned her head back and shut bright eyes away from such an apathetic world. Most people would call her crazy from choosing a well instead of the warm, comforting house of a friend. But, if there was one place you could sleep out on the streets without getting harassed, it would be Nibelheim. She knew this and therefore took advantage of that piece of universal knowledge.

_"I don't have long. I would say three, maybe four months tops," the Lockheart matriarch chocked as tears continued to flow freely down her cheeks with intentions of not only placing vulnerability on display but also to ravage perfectly assembled makeup, "Don't cry, baby, things will work out. I promise."_

A tear slithered itself through bushels of thick eyelashes and down a pasty complexioned cheek. She opened her eyes and felt her chest contract in pain. Her heart continued to vibrantly beat but with every necessary movement, it tore millimeters of muscle without remorse. Burying her face in frostbitten hands, she sobbed as a shriveling heart continued to break. Her mother had meant more to her than anyone on this planet. How was she going to survive without her guidance and advice?

_"What do you mean everything's going to be fine? You're going to die, so no, it's not going to be fucking fine," Tifa screamed, making her face and unnatural shade of red._

_"Watch your tone!"_

_Ignoring her father's warning, she continued, "What do you have?"_

She supported her head by placing a nerve reckoned hand on her forehead. Tifa was angry, insatiable sickness brought to life by the fury gnawing away at her insides and almost resurrecting the queasy feeling that ejected her lunch onto the floor. She remembered when her mother had first sat her down on a piano bench and how disinterested she was. For a seven year old, she sure knew how to harness her inner bitch. She kicked and screamed every time the woman forced her onto the bench. But as time went by, the inspiration came along with a free gift of beautiful music. Tifa remembered asking her how she knew she would be able to pick up an instrument she had absolutely no passion for. Her mother smiled and simply stated, "You have the same glow my mother told me I possessed. The glow only the soul of a true pianist could emit." The child had willingly practiced every day, opinion of the piano changing the minute she heard that short, yet mind altering, explanation.

_"Cancer. It's too far along in its process, already damaging more than enough for chemo to do anything more than make me sick. You have to understand, honey, please. I don't want whatever time I have left with you to be spoiled by bitterness and awkwardness. Understand and accept, that's all I ask."_

She remembered how her father would constantly work and instead of being allowed to feel his absence, Mrs. Lockheart dug into her large assortment of musical choices, placed it on the stereo, dressed up both in ridiculous costumes, and danced the blues away. Tifa had learned much about numerous artists and genres through this method of education. Also, in addition, they would watch movies, bake any junk food they had the ingredients for, read to each other while incorporating certain words to make the story more humorous, and, time after time, go out for drives to the beach where they would horse around before sitting down and conversating. More tears escaped as she reflected on the memories this one woman had provided her with. She knew she had taken it all for granted and that made the pain far more unbearable.

_"No, you can't just expect me not to get upset about this," Tifa shouted, raging emotions preventing her from lowering the tone in her voice, "I'm not going to accept this because it's all bullshit! This crap is mind numbing and I'm not just going to stand here and wait for things to alleviate themselves. Screw this!"_

_"Tifa wait!"_

_"I need to be alone. Don't wait up for me," the only child of the Lockheart clan exclaimed before slamming the door on her way out._

She scrubbed viciously at her eyes and forced tears to stand down. She couldn't remember feeling this much turmoil throughout her natural life which was surprising enough considering Tifa was on her third year of an otherwise drama filled teenage cycle. Angst was a given during those essential two years as sort of a complimentary welcome to the rest of your life fruitcake. Suffering was the appetizer on the teenage menu of life yet this particular teen seemed to just steer clear of the infamous diner all together. She didn't like feeling this way. These emotions made her experience emotional pain that saturated her insides to the point where it seeped through to her physical self. The vulnerability itself was enough to drive her crazy.

"When did bum make it onto your top ten list of things you strived to become before you died?"

Tifa paid no mind to the much older man leering down at her and closed her eyes before turning her head slightly over to the side in proof of her disinterest. She didn't possess the normal flare she usually had when sparring with this menace so she ignored him, silently praying he would grasp her lack of enthusiasm and walk away. There was no such luck.

Reno took a drag from his cigarette, tossed his jacket on the floor, and stole a seat next to the ailing brunette. Digging in his pockets, he pulled out a small box and curtly asked, "You want a smoke?"

"Depends. What did you lace them with?"

"Do you think if these had more than just tobacco and nicotine I would actually give you one of them for free? You want a smoke or not?"

She opened her eyes and looked over at the impatient red head with a single cigarette in his two finger grip. Her hand reached over and took the smoke away from his care and placed it in her mouth. Like magic, a lighter appeared in his cupped hands and blazed the thin stick to life. The flame activated all the harmful chemicals which, ironically, were used in teaching children the dangers of smoking. It felt good, the smoke pillaging her body of nutrients and defiling healthy lungs of their vibrantly pink demeanor. She craved more and immediately took another drag before the previous smoke in its entirety left her body. The ache in Tifa's chest felt more natural now, the emotional pain being replaced by the damage inflicted from an actual object. In retrospect, this form of heaviness had a source that could be stopped. She enjoyed having her original control reinstated.

"You need a place to crash?" Reno asked, not bothering to look over at the teenager beside him. He continued to revel in the relaxation his cigarette provided and found it rather unnecessary to taint that pleasure glancing at the downer next to him.

"You don't want to know why I'm out here?"

"No."

The answer surprised Tifa but she prevented the sentiment from showing on her face. She never uttered anything to satisfy the man next to her in the past, there was no way she was going to start now all of a sudden.

"I don't need your help."

"Fine. Don't worry about being a burden. I'll make sure to come out here tomorrow morning and shovel your frozen carcass off the property."

Reno flicked the cigarette away, grabbed his jacket, and got up from the uncomfortable ground. He loathed the good Samaritan attitude he was displaying and it took a whole lot giving it the push necessary to put the title into action. The offer itself was good enough. This ungrateful girl didn't deserve begging to sugar coat an already sickly sweet proposition.

"What's the condition? Touching places parents around the world would feel shame discovering weren't so sacred anymore?"

"You've got nothing worth touching so get bent, kid. I'm giving you a place where psychoanalysis isn't a necessary requirement for attendance and your spitting shit to bust my balls? If you're expecting me to get down on my knees and beg you to come back with me, I think you'd better find a way to make cobblestone more than just back breaking. The offers on the table in plain English. Take it or leave it."

Tifa sat still for the longest time examining the expression on the hospitable individual's face with a quirked eyebrow. She really did need a place to stay and here was one offered with no questions asked. It seemed too good to be true which explained the feelings of his hesitation rummaging its way through her deductive reasoning skills. He seemed sincere and sleeping on a floor, carpeted or hardware alike, was far more tempting than spending the night on the uneven texture of cobblestone.

"Fine," she declared, getting up and dusting herself off with a few pats here and there, "but no funny stuff. I feel your hand anywhere other than on my own hand to shake; my foot will give you the vasectomy necessary to save your kids the trauma of knowing they were spawned instead of naturally conceived."

"Fair enough."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Yuffie," a voice bellowed loud enough to send the young slumbering figure out of bed and onto her knees. She shook her head, the merchandise illuminated by the peeking moonlight through the blinds blurred shady vision of half conscience eyes. Groaning, the preteen dropped her head on the bed and mumbled angry words of personal desecration. Her father was home and she would be lucky if the physical pain he inflicted on her didn't prevent her from going back to sleep.

Yuffie arose and stretched, using whatever outlet of distraction she could use to her advantage. She had even thought about hiding in her closet until he passed out but realized the outcome would be far worse than direct confrontation. The last time she had tried to avoid him for a week, she wound up in the hospital with a concussion and broken arm. It was time to face the piper, knowing it would be better this way.

"Coming!"

Practically gliding towards her closet, the pixie snatched her robe into twitching hands and wrapped its fuzzy material against her skin. She never liked the color pink but the orgasmic comfort the item provided for its wearer far outweighed the nauseating eye sore of a color. The robe had been a birthday gift from her aunt, the one woman who currently knew of her mother's whereabouts. The one woman who had the power to end the consistent nightmare but refused to utter a single word. Yuffie had chosen to replace her aunt as a person with the robe. The article of clothing had provided her with far more comfort than the old hag ever did anyway.

"I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid. I'm strong," Yuffie repeated before slowly placing her hand on the door knob. There she was, feeling the cold sensations of the knob but lacking the courage to twist it. Fear, more powerful than ever, caused the young girl to perspire and lick desert dry lips out of habit. She almost cried out in frustration for the futility of the moment.

"Yuffie, get down here before I go up there and make you come down!"

Sighing, she used her free hand to wipe away stray tears of anxiety while twisting the source of her terror and entering into confrontation with her own beast of burden. Removing her hand from her face, Yuffie blinked at the glimpse of crimson. Dreams. Being woken for many nights, she almost lost a natural grasp of consciousness. Reality. Dreams. Nightmares. They were all the same to her. The sweetness was gone from her dreams as was the relief of waking up from a nightmare. No relief, no sweet delights, just bitterness. A bitterness only reality could bestow.

"What's up, dad?"

Her voice shook as an equally uneasy hand ran through disheveled hair, before her onyx eyes stood the result of a long lingering problem. The huffs of air she inhaled penetrated her lungs sharply and the surroundings revealed surreal hallucinations. Their confrontations never felt real. Father and daughter exchanging verbal and physical blows of anger just never seemed right in Yuffie's mind. Half the time she expected to awake in a cold pile of sweat with nothing to haunt her but a mere twisted image of an unsettled imagination. Reality, a true enthusiast of bittersweet moments, revealed something much less comforting.

"Didn't I tell you to clean up this house?" Godo asked, stumbling around but still trying to play cool. His face looked puffier than usual and the red tint of it far outshone any color on his natural palate. A swaying body lacked the support of overzealous feet as words incoherently slurred. The young Kisaragi child could barely understand what her father said and almost smiled at his stupidity.

"I did clean up," Yuffie declared, the pulse in her wrists pulsating to the point of rupture, "It's not my fault you can't control yourself when you drink."

All metaphysical forces inhabiting the room had just succumbed to an ungratifying death. Godo's mouth remained opened but seemed to reject the intake of oxygen. Yuffie told herself to run. Nothing good had ever come from silence but instead, like a soldier, she remained ready to take down the dictator. David defeated Goliath with a sling shot, bringing down the giant along with his murderous, fascist, slave laboring intentions. Yuffie would do the same.

A chuckle escaped from warm, chapped lips.

"I always blamed myself for your mother leaving," Godo whispered, continuing to amuse himself with soft laughter, "I was wrong. Having such an ungrateful, useless, mistake of a daughter must have sent her running. Your mother left because she couldn't bear to look at you anymore. Looking at you was a reminder of how she gave birth to a disappointment."

Small fists balled up in fury as an equally small body convulsed out of nauseous apprehension. Her stomach entwined into a knot to keep from collapsing into itself. Tears prickled at widened retinas and she could almost feel her heart pump enough blood to flood an entire body. There had always been the guilt residing deep inside which convinced Yuffie that her mother had left because she wasn't the daughter the woman had always dreamed of. A guilt which cursed her for looking the way she did, talking like she did, not being smart enough, not being social enough, and lacking the people of Wutai's respect. A guilt of being the daughter which contradicted the dream every parent had of the perfect offspring.

It was why she left.

It was why she never came back when she promised she would.

"No," Yuffie hissed angrily, nails digging into closed palms and adrenaline coursing through unresponsive veins, "Mom left because you were a controlling, manipulative drunk! Mom left because she couldn't depend on or trust you! If I'm a disappointment, than you're a fucking abomination."

Her face snapped to the side after the rock solid punch swung across a tender cheek. The room spun and Yuffie backed up while shaking her head to clear the haze. The element of surprise had not worked to Godo's advantage, which made the hit slightly more bearable. Blood trickled down the side of her mouth and a swollen cheekbone was slowly losing its credibility of being a definitive part of her face. She needed to sit down but knew unconsciousness would come before relaxation.

"You bitch! I feed you, clothe you, and shelter you! Ungrateful rat," Godo screamed after roughly pushing his only child on the ground. He placed his body over her much smaller one, pinning her down, and proceeded to smack and even pinch her, "I wish you were never born! You made your mother leave and you turned me into a monster! You're nothing but an omen!"

Yuffie spat blood and saliva into her old man's face with a menacing laugh. Slowly, she felt her sanity leaving as well as her full awareness of the situation at hand. Another fist continued to leave a trail of bruises and extreme bludgeoning. The young girl could no longer focus; her head throbbed while a withering body felt nothing more than the horrid stinging sensations of pain. Gazing upon this unholy display of fatherly affection, death had no longer become a last resort but a beautiful release.

"I hate you," she screamed in tears after hearing a small crack inflicted by a rough punch to an otherwise frail ribcage. Her vocal chords pronunciated themselves into a shriek which threw the aggravator off and caused him to look down at the damage his own two hands have caused. Yuffie could see a flash of disgust flash across the older man's eyes for a mere second before the malice returned.

"You deserve this," Godo whispered, more so to justify his own brutality, as he punched his daughter's shoulder, "You need to learn to respect me. You made your mother leave. You made me start drinking. We're in hell because of you."

"Stop," Yuffie shouted, tears of venom and anguish slipping out of her eyes and onto her father's hands. She shivered from the coldness of the man's words and actions while shutting her eyes with quivering lids. A heavy atmosphere nearly collapsed under pressure of the unbearable tension. The two individuals remained silent, adding to the burden of discomfort.

"I need a drink."

Godo arose from his position and delusionally stumbled toward the door. She felt the release of weight off her body and nearly burst into a fresh array of tears. Relief and disappointment flooded her body as fantasies of death were replaced by the sudden realization of relapse. He would come back tomorrow, drunk, angry, and relay his fury upon her once again. This would never end. She would never be free but locked within an immobile cage with clipped wings. The dictator would not fall; only continue arising to power day after day with expectations of extracting his power on her. A slave, it was all she would ever be.

"Kill me," Yuffie exclaimed from the floor unable to move her temporarily crippled form. Tears were caught in the young girl's throat making her cough and choke on desperate words. She knew he would currently be at an unreasonable and incredibly vulnerable state. She also knew Godo Kisaragi was never one to sacrifice his pride and back down from a challenge. Now was the time to act and receive a freedom even dreams would not dare bestow.

Godo stopped and turned back to gaze upon the fallen body of his creation. He looked lost as the uncharacteristic vengeance that haunted his eyes became exiled from a tainted soul. The guilty man's hand gripped the doorknob and he was gone leaving behind a twisted heart. She cried and slammed her fist down on the ground. A slave, it was all she could ever be.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_Click. Click._

He jumped up from the sweet whispered nothings of his subconscious and scratched a blonde head confused. Looking towards his window, the shadow of a small pebble painted a picture on ivory walls as another click resonated throughout his bedroom. A smile twisted slightly chapped lips erect before giving the man enough steam to get out of bed and rush towards the window. Disappointment overcame him for the figure he saw below did not belong to who he had expected.

The moonlight accentuated a flowing pink dress clad to the shapely figure of his longtime girlfriend. If it weren't for the preconceived notions of who he had imagined to be throwing the pebbles, Cloud's enthusiasm from the beauty radiating off the girl, who currently was vying for his attention, would be much more overwhelming. He smirked a greeting down at the wanderer and gestured for her to stay where she was. He shouldn't be so let down; Aeris showing up was actually very convenient to Cloud's current conundrum. It would allow him to get his feelings out in the open without the given opportunity of escape. She was standing here, waiting, and there was no back door.

She fixed her hair as best she could and straightened her dress in hopes of disguising her infidelity with a flawless appearance. Aeris bit her lower lip as a zealous heart beat savagely. She would tell him the truth tonight. Zack was her heart and soul's main priority at the moment and no other man, no matter how long and drawn out their history was, would stand in the way. Everything seemed to be going the way she had pictured, but Aeris never imagined it would be this hard.

"That's something you don't see everyday."

The small brunette turned to face the familiar voice and softly smiled, "What's that?"

Cloud stepped off his front porch and sashayed towards his awaiting guest, "A pretty girl like you wandering around in the middle of the night without some reinforcements."

The warm smiled remained on Aeris' glowing face as she felt strong arms envelop her into a restrictive embrace. Before the taunting man could lay a kiss upon her cheek, she gently elbowed him in the stomach and proclaimed, "Just because I'm little doesn't mean I can't handle myself."

Cloud smirked and pecked her on the cheek without fear of another elbow to the gut. She smelled sweet, like vanilla and cherry blossoms, and her skin was soft as though every inch of her body was enveloped with milk and honey. It was the little things about this girl he was going to miss. In addition to these supposed insignificant details, time had formed a bond. A bond that if broken would leave you lonely and sullen. A drug addiction with ninety-five percent chance of terrible withdrawal syndromes.

Time to kick the habit.

"I'm actually glad you came by," the blonde began, keeping his arms around Aeris and whispering in her ear, "Because we need to talk."

"About what?"

Cloud felt his girl break away from the close proximity and could only uncomfortably sigh as the action commenced. Scratching the back of his head, he allowed his eyes to be taken into probing green pools and almost hoped she would discover the deep, dark secret he had guiltily stashed away in his soul for years. Like a coward, he knew it would be easier than explaining the sordid details. Cloud's hand returned to the back of his head and scratched.

"About what, Cloud?" Aeris asked more forcefully this time, her mouth twisting downwards in dissatisfaction. Her eyes burned with a fiery passion that lacked the compassion usually found within the pixie's purified soul. It was almost as though she had known what her significant other was going to say but, to torture him, found it necessary to make him confirm her suspicions out loud.

"You know what this is about," Cloud sighed, reaching in his jeans pocket for a smoke, "Everything about us is wrong, Aeris. We barely talk and when we do talk it's about nonsense bullshit. We hardly see each other and when we do get the chance, you always have to mysteriously leave. I don't feel like a boyfriend, I feel like more like a last resort. We're just not working."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"What?"

The worshiper of all things pink sneered and felt uncensored tears prickle her eyes without mercy. Turning her back in fear of what she would find in Cloud's eyes, Aeris closed her eyes and declared, "Aren't you forgetting to mention the girl next door? The girl you've been fantasizing about ever since the day you discovered you could get it up? The girl you only wished could have gotten to you before I did? Don't lie to me and tell me it's because we're not working. Tell me it's because of that stupid bitch, Tifa Lockheart!"

Cloud let out a loud withdrawn breath and closed his own eyes apprehensively. He felt himself easily being pushed up against a corner; the ticking time bomb of vulnerability being forced into his system and mere minutes away from exploding. She was right on the nose. They could fix things if both really wanted to, but the attraction he felt towards Tifa was undeniable and it could no longer be resisted. This was beginning to become a step process. First came the vulnerable approach, than doubt, and finally guilt.

Kick the habit. Find inner peace.

"We were great while it lasted and I really did love you. But can you really say to yourself that you truly loved me back?"

"Of course I loved you back! How can you even assume I didn't?" Aeris shouted after spinning around and revealing tears of embarrassment and unwanting, "Don't blame this on me, Cloud Strife! Don't you dare! You want this to end because you want someone else so don't go and make yourself feel better by saying you're ending this for a lack of love."

"You never loved me," Cloud exclaimed in anger, his face beginning to allow an unnatural shade of red to paint its surface, "You have no right to play the martyr because I've never felt more unwanted in my entire life than the time span this relationship endured. You never wanted me or loved me, so now that I think about it, I'm starting to realize I was just a statistic for your popularity poll! I wouldn't be surprised if you had someone else on the side...which comes to the lingering question, why are you here, Aeris? What drove you all of a sudden to my house because I know it wasn't just 'on the way during a midnight stroll through town!' So, what made you come here? What did you have to tell me that couldn't wait until morning?"

Aeris was speechless. The words she had wanted to say were caught in her throat and for a mere second, she could not speak nor breathe. She was being a hypocrite and had no real reason to loathe Cloud for his intentions to break up with her. Even if he had feelings for Tifa, he hadn't (as far as she knew) acted out his impulses like she herself had. Her own dour words had caused her to feel slightly embarrassed and even humbled. She exhaled and shook her head, simply stating, "You're right. I have no right to play the martyr because I know I haven't treated you the way a real girlfriend should. I'm sorry, Cloud. If breaking up is what you want than freedom is what you deserve for all the crap I put you through."

"Look," Cloud began, the spontaneous anger beginning to completely drain out of his system, "I really do care about you, more than you think. I do admit, I have some feelings for Tifa, I'm not gonna lie and say I don't, but that isn't the whole entirety in the reason I'm ending this relationship. I don't feel like we're on the same level and I know you feel the same way. For two people to be in a relationship but be on two separate areas is not good. Are you really surprised that it came to this?"

"Now that you put it that way, I guess not."

The anguishing weight lifted and revealed a man who experienced the rebirth of his mortality before entering the sphere of everlasting life. He had done it, the hardest thing he ever had to do, and now nothing could touch him. Flying, it was the only sensation he could use to describe this natural high. Kicking the habit had never been more rewarding yet at the same time so emotionally limiting.

Cloud reached out and grasped Aeris in one final embrace, mumbling in her ear, "I really did love you. I'm gonna miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too," she whispered, a tear falling out from between her eyelids before pushing back and rushing away from tension in need of untarnished oxygen. She jogged for a few minutes and, noticing the distance between herself the man who surprisingly turned the tables and broke her own heart in the process, halted and sobbed into the palm of her hands. This is what she had wanted, but the bitter taste of her own medicine must have been karma's punishment for her philandering ways. The anger burned as jealousy provided a fuel immediate hatred fed off of.

"You better watch your back, Lockheart...I'm going to teach you a lesson that'll make you think twice about touching what isn't yours."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

AN: Finally finished the chapter after a month on hiatus. Sorry for the wait, I needed to work on finals for the end of my semester so that put a damper on my writing capabilities. This chapter is a little short, to my standard, on character and story plot development but patience is a virtue. You'll be rewarded if you don't huff and puff. Also, I realized after re-reading this chapter and my other chapters that I made Aeris a little on the selfish, vindictive side but every character in the story is gonna have a flaw by the end. Yes, these characteristics are very OOC for the innocent flower girl but oh well, everybody needs to unleash their dark side every now and then. Stay tuned for the next chapter.


	6. Strange Days

_Strange eyes fill strange rooms _

_Voices will signal their tired end _

_The hostess is grinning _

_Her guests sleep from sinning_

-The Doors

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_Morning. It was morning already. Time to get up...time to face her._

Tifa groaned as she rolled over and extended her body to unnatural proportions. The light from today's impending glory saturated the young girl's face in an attempt to completely rouse her. She had indeed slept on the floor, Reno hadn't exaggerated about that, but besides the fornicating couple on the couch to the right, her night had not been all that bad.

"Great show last night," the brunette declared to the once again fondling couple, getting up from her makeshift bed and straightening out her wrinkled jeans in a failed attempt, "You prove to every misguided yet acrobatically inclined soul 'Why bother with higher learning when you've got all the moves necessary to better yourself in a successful porn career.' "

The curvaceous, wavy haired blonde on couch broke away from the passionate kiss with a sneer before venomously flipping off the younger girl. The man underneath did the same but not before checking out the shrew who interrupted his precious moment with girl number nine.

"And sweet too. When you're sexually promiscuous, there's nothing you can't do. Another life lesson well learned," Tifa proclaimed while making her way through the living room and into the kitchen where cigarette smoke came pouring out from like a signal.

"Morning sunshine," Reno declared not looking up from his newspaper, yet paying especially vigilant attention to the limp cigarette hanging from parted lips, "Just as I expected, you're making strong, life lasting friendships. I knew you'd fit in just nicely."

"People were...having sex right next to me," she pointed out indignantly with a shiver, "Don't people know how to get a room? Whatever happened to old fashioned ideals and expectations of a good lay."

The red head sighed, closed the paper before him, removed the cigarette from his mouth, and stubbed it carelessly out on the wooden table. Looking up, he smiled and rested his chin on the palm of his hand, "First of all, they had a room. You just so happened to crash yourself right into it. Secondly, there is no such thing as old fashioned ideals and expectations of a good lay. When you wanna fuck, you fuck. An audience just provides a more stimulating atmosphere, so you being there probably did them a favor."

"Ew," Tifa shuddered before reaching into one of the cabinets, pulling out a mug, and pouring herself an extra strong cup of black coffee, "And you just let people have sex right on your couch."

"I didn't exactly give them an invitation but if they were gonna do it, they were gonna do it - with or without my consent. It's just sex, whether someone has it on my furniture or out on the front lawn, the world still rotates all the same. Life continues, just with an extra stain to color your otherwise mundane existence with," Reno pointed out, fingering the pack of smokes beside him but without removing his eyes from his guest, "Plus, stains can prove to be a very interesting conversation starter."

"You're sick."

"I wasn't the one who slept next to the rabbits all night long without complaint."

Tifa opened her mouth but immediately shut it, rolling her eyes and ending the topic with a muttered, "Whatever." Drinking the piping hot fluid from the cup, she moved towards the table and sat down across from the proprietor of the house. Dark eyes scaled the man's face and noticed the undeniable roughness in his features. Two lightly crimson scars adorned the bottom of his eyes on protruding cheekbones as the color of his face was a pale and tired shade of ivory. Aquamarine was the savior of an otherwise deathly pallor, adding vibrancy and even attractiveness to an ordinary man. Red strands, color coordinating with the most obvious of scars, fell over his eyes as the majority lay along his back in a loose ponytail. Reno definitely wasn't a conventional form of handsome, but the mystery of his past lacing together with a quick wit and very foreign features could explain the many different women she previously saw him with every other night.

"What are you looking at, jailbait?"

Thoughts became one with a scatterbrained mentality as the pensive girl allowed reality to settle in. He had noticed she had been staring at him, and by the way he was looking, most likely formulating the wrong idea. Placing the mug on the table, Tifa quirked an eyebrow up and bluntly answered, "A potential playmate for Butch when our federal system wizens up and busts you."

"Well, since I housed you for a night maybe during one of your conjugal visits you can tell Butch, Spike, and Tank to take it easy on me when our federal system 'wizens up' and busts me."

Reno gave the feisty firecracker a lopsided smirk and placed another cigarette in his mouth. Reaching in his pants pocket, he freed a cheap plastic lighter and blazed the stick to life. The playful color of his hair danced with the orange of the ember as the green of oval eyes lightened in a sparkled ocean effect. Tifa, even though reeling over the older individual's comment, became entranced with the many shades joining together to transform a shabby canvas into a one of a kind masterpiece. This man was truly full of many surprises.

"Where did you get those scars?" The cigarette inhaled into two tarnished lungs as the expression on his face hardened. The topic at hand was anything but accessible and he wanted to make that painfully clear to his interrogator. Much to his dismay, many had tried in vain to unlock the mystery of this one man's past, especially women. In his mentality, if women who had given themselves or promised to in exchange for discovery of his deep, dark secret had failed, it would be a cold day in hell before Reno would talk for the first time to a brash, virginal nymph.

"Some nameless girl decided to leave her passion marks on my face instead of my back"

"You're lying," Tifa coolly countered, her finger absently trailing the rim of the blue coffee cup, "Did someone close to you do it? Your face contorted when I asked you so I know it wasn't something as airy as an unattached sexual encounter"

"Wow," Reno breathed while exhaling gray carbon monoxide in exaggerated intrigue and patronizingly leaning forward, "I didn't know I took in a psychiatrist last night"

"Cut the crap, Reno! I'm asking you a simple question not play by play accounts of your entire legacy"

"Oh yeah? Then let me ask you a question of my own, why were you sleeping outside last night"

"This isn't about me"

"Ain't such a 'simple question' when it's redirected, is it princess?" The red head interrupted before falling back into his normal relaxed stance against the chair, "You've got a lot to learn before you start sporting the nifty two piece suit and believing that possession of a microphone gives you the golden ticket to meddle in other people's lives, striving for the greater good. Do yourself a favor and keep your nose on your face, not in other people's business. The world can only take one Oprah"

Tifa watched intently as the human chimney folded up the currently insignificant piece of literature and placed it to the side while continuing to enjoy the dwindling cigarette in peace.

Sighing, she cocked her head to side in understanding and smirked, "You're reluctance in telling me what happened is suddenly starting to paint me a picture. It's ok; I guess you can take it as a lesson learned"

"And that lesson would be"

The youngster's smile broadened, "Never operate a tricycle under the influence of cheap booze while succumbing to the advances of inflatable blondes. You already have enough trouble steering that type of vehicle sober and soft"

Reno smirked back, his lips twisting up in good humor. He was glad she had let up as opposed to the normal hour and a half it usually took most women in his life to ease off a tense subject. What was with chicks and their constant need to know the exact diameter and count of the bones the skeleton locked securely in his closet was constructed of? If that kind of prodding wasn't sufficient enough, they also yearned to be the heroine in the story of a dastardly life. His dream girl kept to herself and didn't ask questions she knew he would never answer. True love, in beautiful sea green eyes, lied within ambiguity.

The small degrader, satisfied with her burn, huddled her legs into her chest and continued to drink her caffeine in bliss. She would never admit it aloud, but Tifa didn't mind being in the presence of this socially inept leper. He had proven to be an intelligently decent conversationalist and, surprisingly enough, a gentleman who not once grazed his eyes any lower than her nose. Sleeping on the ground wasn't all that bad either and would be considered as a future restoration area if the moaning along with those responsible would migrate to the kitchen when the time came.

"I'm surprised you didn't start gagging yet," he blurted out after moments of silence. His usual cocky smirk made another appearance on his face after mounting discomfort of the previously asked question left an interior decorator's worst nightmare behind.

"Me too...I've been looking at you for the past twenty minutes and I haven't once had a breathing complication"

Scratching the side of his face with a middle finger, Reno continued, "I meant you being able to drink coffee a la Reno without cream and sugar. In my other previous guests' opinions, I make coffee that rivals the strength of Mako energy. One even swore they started glowing in the dark after they drank it, but to be fair, I think the hit of acid he took beforehand had something to do with that little illusion"

"What can I say, I'm a caffeine fiend," Tifa mumbled. She suddenly felt uncomfortable about being reminded of the generous man's history with ingesting and distributing narcotics to drug addicts within Nibelheim's ten mile radius. Everyone had known what went on in the mist of Reno Krieger and his associates but no one had ever dared confront him of his felonies. Instead of voicing out their opinions, the citizens had just pretended he didn't exist and cut off any communication with the twenty year old punk. It made things easier for the people of a quiet, anti-scandal town, especially Reno, who no longer felt the previous insatiable amount of pressure.

"Problem"

"You're a drug dealer," Tifa declared, not bothering to censor her observation. Lithe fingers unconscienously twirled wavy chestnut locks as pools of the finest red wine studied her stoic counterpart without reservation. The discomfort returned with renegade intentions of capturing a soul; yearning for a companion when exile was sure to shower rejection's loneliness upon it.  
Reno, for one, did not enjoy the shit end of the stick and held her audacity in contempt. His own fingers twitched in annoyance; the cigarette making its final resting place alongside its originator on a beautifully crafted table. The topic of his roots were becoming old and he decided, on this beautiful, cloudless morning, it was as good a time as any to nip this incessant buzzing in the bud.

"I'm tired of the U-turns so this is what we're gonna do," the mediator explained in an even tone, "You're welcomed to stay here on the floor, drink my noxious coffee, and eat Ramen noodles to your heart's content on one condition - and that's to mind your own business. Treat me like a ghost, someone who has no past but lingers in purgatory until the day they eventually have what it takes to be welcomed into the afterlife. If you have a problem and absolutely in a 'my life is hanging in the balance' type of way need your questions answered...there's the door, don't let it hit you in the ass on the way out. Understood"

"It's no huge mystery, so it's not like I'm asking you. Everyone knows you're a drug dealer"

"Shh..." Reno exclaimed, placing a finger to his lips to hush the loaded pistol in front of him, "If everyone knows than there's no use in talking about it, is there? Now, do you agree to my terms or do I have to kick you out of my house"

She sighed, not all too convinced that staying under the same roof as someone with so many secrets was that wise of a decision. In a way, this was a golden opportunity. Here stood a man who offered a place to crash, for as long as she desired, with no necessary explanation. It was something not many people, if any, would offer. She also wasn't sure if he was a little stoned or drunk when he asked her to come back with him, considering the scrutiny of inviting an underage girl back to his place would only intensify the resolution on the magnifying glass that was already fixated on his wretched life. But, nonetheless, Tifa didn't care. She couldn't pass up this chance even if his most horrifying confidence was the number of dead bodies adorning his closet at the moment.

"Fine," the doe eyed beauty agreed while nodding her head in response, "From now on, I won't butt into your past, present, or future. I am but a bohemian desperately seeking a stable roof over this little head of mine"

"Good. Now get lost. Thirty minutes of my time is the maximum I give guests and you're bordering on thirty five"

Tifa's eyes partially widened as Reno arose from his chair and ushered her up. Taking one last desperate sip of coffee, she placed the mug down and exclaimed, "You should've dropped the words cruel and unusual when you mentioned the rules and expectations of staying here"

"Go write a poem about it," the red head proclaimed before shoving his petite roommate into the living room without remorse.

"Jackass," the brunette muttered before brushing herself off and steering her way through the spacious room, past the lovers, and up the stairs to the second floor. After all this drama, she was in serious need of some TLC induced downtime - nothing saying relaxation better than a nice bath. And for Reno's consideration, Tifa would make sure to use more hot water than necessary. After all, with all the dogs he crawled into bed with, he needed a cold shower. It had more power when came to expelling fleas.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"So Reno," Dr. Crawford began, pushing a stray lock of gold behind her ear, "he housed you, took care of you for some time"  
Tifa smiled but continued to stare up at the tiled ceiling in refusal to glance anywhere else.

Kicking a limber leg off the couch and allowing her eager foot to touch the floor, she sardonically stated, "Oh, he took care of me alright"

The young PhD sighed impatiently before removing spectacles from tired eyes and hanging them off of her vest. Placing the notepad on the oak table beside her chair, she declared without remorse, "Look, I understand you don't want to be here and find it your prerogative to explain your situation in riddles so you can leave this session knowing you cooperated and spoke but about nothing relevant to our topic. You may not believe this, but I'm here to help you. I know you've been through a lot of incredibly difficult moments and I also know you think you can handle all the pressure on your own but this is more serious than you may believe. You need help because all this guilt and regret is going to do nothing more than crush you in the end"

"I think you're a little late on that aspect, doc, because I've been crushed long before I met you," the patient stated after a long lapse of silence, "And, yes, Reno gave me a roof over my head. But then again he also corrupted and put me in therapy to begin with so I wouldn't exactly qualify the man for a medal just yet"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Where were you"

The immediate question as she tried to sneak into the room startled the home invader. Large green eyes, possessing the essence of a wandering soul, turned to the side and took in the sight of her lover sitting on their bed watching the news. She challengingly smirked before closing the door and inching closer to him with her hands behind her back.

"Do I need your written consent to go out for some air"

Zack, not taking the playfulness as lightly as it should have been, turned the television off and got out of bed in a single gesture. His direction channeled towards the kitchen while Aeris stood behind rolling her eyes and following soon after.

"What's wrong with you? This attitude is everyday now and I'm starting to get sick of it," Aeris declared as she stopped dead in her tracks at the entrance of Zack's small yet impressive and neatly kept kitchen space. Her arms folded across a full chest; eyes penetrating his very life form in avid search for the truth to explain his strange and consistent behavior.

"Don't give me that. If you're playing me for a fool, I at least have the right to keep the brooding without your self righteous holier than thou act"

"Zack," the Lolita proclaimed, stomping forward and grabbing two broad shoulders, which proved to be harder than she pictured considering his towering height, before looking up with two pleading eyes, "Please, baby, talk to me. What's bothering you"

Zack shrugged her off and perched himself up on the counter. Black coffee stared passionately into lush meadows while, in a reluctant fashion, briefly stating, "I love you so much and you have no idea how much you affected me but as long as your boyfriend's in the picture, I can't be with you anymore"

"Well, if he was in the picture, I'd have to agree with you"

The light angelically hit a tanned face, bringing his hopes and aspirations to the surface as the corners of his mouth shook themselves into a smirk. Running a tame hand through tangled hair, Zack asked, "Are you saying what I think you're saying"

"If you're thinking I'm saying Cloud and I broke up than you're heading down the right path"

"When did this happen?" He asked, the smirk dissolving as skeptical thoughts made their way into an unbalanced mentality. Zack could never truly believe the words that came out of her mouth; for Aeris did anything she could to sidestep an argument. She was but a soldier in combat dancing through a field of landmines and putting to action any maneuver that could distract from an explosion. He was never too sure of her sincerity but only hoped that when he was the sentiment didn't disguise itself within vanity.

"Last night," Aeris explained, leaning back against the counter in a replicate motion but removing a thoughtful gaze away from the man she shadowed, "I went to see Cloud when you fell asleep because I couldn't be with him. I love you and wasn't going to take part in the deceit anymore"

The older native bore a hole through the physical manifestation of his aesthetic philosophy and frowned. There was a pull, a force which further knotted intestinal disarray and caused him to doubt the woman's words. He wanted to believe her but lacked the inspiration necessary in giving her speech the proper power to move him. In a way, he felt the words stir an opposite, more confrontational reaction within.

"Who broke up with whom"

The question surprised her and for a split second she was scatterbrained. Shielding her bitter expression from revealing the truth, Aeris fixed starry eyes back on the near argument's instigator and defensively queried, "What does that matter"

"It matters"

She stood vapidly still, pursed mouth slightly agape, as a battle waged against her thought process for the right thing to say. It had proven to be a fruitless war with no disappointment evident towards the final result. Zack had that particular expression on his face, the one which fed off of reason. Aeris knew whatever excuse she gave him would be dissected and thrown precariously back. The right thing to say, at the moment, was nothing more than myth.

"You're unbelievable, Zack," Aeris spat after erecting her slouching figure to face the doubting Thomas, "You wanted me and Cloud to break up for as long as I can remember and now that it happened you're still not satisfied. It's no use trying to please you because I'm starting to realize it's an impossibility"

Zack smirked, his eyes mischievously twinkling. Jumping from the counter, he chuckled before bluntly observing, "He dumped you because the resentment's just hemorrhaging out. You better close up that wound before it becomes fatal"

"You're an asshole"

The lovers' quarrel left the kitchen and re-emerged where it had originally began - through the living room lapsing into the bedroom. The bitter discourse rummaging through the fisherman's blood stream imploded and opened the vaulted door of demons. All the anger and jealousy escaped in childish glee leaving behind a fuming mortal to pick up the pieces.

"You're right, I am an asshole," Zack shouted with a closed throat pleading for oxygen, "I'm an asshole for letting you play with me for as long as you have. I can't believe I let a spoiled little girl get under my skin. You're giving me more trouble than you're worth"

"I can say the same for you! I can't believe I put my reputation on the line for a nobody who brings home "little girls" and seduces them. You're a pig"

"Well, Oink oink, baby"

Taken aback, Aeris turned and stormed out with a small sheen of tears in her eyes. The exit left Zack frozen in place, a sane mind slowly bringing about stable thoughts. He had made her cry. He had, yet again, pushed her further away with his petty jealousy. He told her she was giving him trouble and that he didn't care about her. Cloud Strife had yet again gotten in between Aeris and himself because of unnecessary insecurities. Stepping forward, he slammed his fist into the wall with no remorse.

"Damn"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_"I broke up with Aeris last night. She came by and I told her exactly how I felt. I told her I couldn't be with her anymore because my attention always seems to be going right back to you. It's getting to the point where I can't even remotely think about anyone else but you"  
_

_"Oh, Cloud, now we can actually be together officially. I'm so happy"  
_'Now if only fantasy meets reality and I can actually get a moment like that,' Cloud thought to himself as he scratched the back of his head and paced on the front porch of the Lockhart's humble abode. He needed to be upfront with Tifa but sans the potential cheesiness associated with his choice words. She needed to know how he felt but without being put off by the intensity of his proposition. There was a lots of needs laced with dos and don'ts and the more he thought about what he would and could say, the more he realized how badly he needed a shot.

"Come on, man. Now's your chance, don't blow it"

Raising a balled up hand, Cloud efficiently knocked on the door while swallowing any lingering fear into the pit of his ever exasperated stomach. In these remaining moments, normalcy will cease to exist in the present and replaced by growth. He couldn't believe the dream was becoming a very attainable reality. Soon, everything would change as imagination would get put to the test in order to determine whether Tifa Lockheart was prime choice for a more satisfying existence.

"Hello, Cloud," Mrs. Lockheart declared after opening the door wide in greeting. Her eyes scoured his entire being until they expanded to the left, right, and eventually behind the visiting blonde. The original sorrow engraved on her features before her friendly hello returned once she finally comprehended he was standing in her presence alone.

"Hey, Mrs. Lockheart. Is Tifa around"

Confusion racked the young man's brain as he digested the pained expression on his neighbor's face. Why was she looking at him that way? Did he know something she didn't? The confusion only proliferated when the pained mask on the usual happy-go-lucky woman morphed into one matching his exact baffled state of mind. What was going on here and where the hell was Tifa?

"Tifa's not here," Sarah softly pointed out as matter-of-factly before glancing behind her and slightly closing the door so her upper body was the only proportion outside company could see, "She hasn't been home since last night. I have no idea where she went. I thought she would be with you"

She hasn't been home since last night? Cloud began to reel from the processed information. Gold eyebrows furrowed in disgust while cerulean orbs looked down at the floor in reverie. The last time he had seen her was by the well where they had began what he had originally come here to finish. Where could she have gone? In normal circumstances and disagreements with mostly her father, the Strife house would be Tifa's first choice hideout. He heard a faint sniffle coming from the cracked door and realized Mrs. Lockheart had broken down her strong exterior with worrisome thoughts and dreadful predictions.

"Tifa didn't mention anything before she left? Maybe sleeping over at Elena's?" Cloud hopefully interrogated after his eyes reinstated their attention to the grieving mother.

"We've tried Elena already. Tifa was supposed to meet her at the movies but she never showed up. Damn it, where the hell is she? She knows better than to run off like that without calling. She knows it drives me crazy"

"I know. Look, I'll go around and ask people if they've seen her. If I hear anything, I'll get back to you"

Sarah Lockheart did nothing more than nod, offer a thank you along with a small gracious smile before retreating back into the comfort of her own home. Cloud remained staring at the door with distant eyes while thoughts of aggressive situations played cruelly with his sanity. Kidnapped? Mugged? Hospitalized? Murdered? It could be anything. She could be anywhere, severely hurt and alone. She needed him.

_That's what you want to believe. It's a whole lot easier than accepting the truth. Tifa ran away from home. She not only ran away from home but ran somewhere besides into your scrawny arms. Face the facts. She wants a capable man, not some scrub.  
_

No. She had told him she wanted him last night by the well. He refused to believe feelings could change so drastically. That kiss was incredible, evoking in him feelings that went beyond just south of the equator. There was something there when she kissed him, something pure and unconditional. Something he needed to discover. Something that only one person could revive within him.

_You're going nowhere fast, chump, so get ready for the downward spiral._

"Shut up," Cloud hissed to himself while shutting his eyes and banishing the evil thoughts from an overactive conscience. She didn't run from him and if she did, there was a logical explanation that would sedate the cynical voices. He needed to find her and ask for them. His pessimism was wrong, he was certain, and when he found Tifa it would be proven.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Yuffie splashed her injury with freezing water in desperation to calm the swelling around her cheek. The bastard went for her face again and she was starting to believe it was purposely done. The more scars and battle wounds obtained, the less confidence she possessed, and the less confidence she possessed the less frequent she would leave the confines of the Kisaragi house. She didn't need the pity of outside influence and she certainly didn't need the trauma of being yanked away from her home into an orphanage. It was like exchanging one prison for another and if she needed to choose between which of the facilities she would rather spend her teenage years in, she would choose her father's house of horrors. At least her freedom, as little as she had left, was less restricted that way.

After patting at the large, bloodied bruise with her father's towel, the youngster threw it on the bathroom floor in resentment. Yuffie knew once she thought about her action and the repercussions it would ultimately bring, she would be upstairs in the blink of an eye hanging the towel right back up where it belonged. But right now, with no restrictions, she left the object on the ground and enjoyed the surge of power that small act of rebellion instilled her with.

She couldn't believe she was thinking this, but attending school was suddenly becoming more appealing than she ever thought it could be. If the past provided her with any insight it was when Yuffie was in school, Godo hit her less - at least facial-wise. With a face looking more human and less like a roadmap, Yuffie would finally be able to get out there and meet new people. The people of Nibelheim seemed less uptight than Wutai's citizens so maybe there was indeed hope in making a friend or two here. A friend or two, to be more specific, who didn't find backstabbing and trash talking to be terms of endearment. RING! RING! RING! RING!

Sighing, Yuffie exited the bathroom and jogged down the hall into her father's room where one of the two phones were stationed. She flopped down on the large bed and picked up the phone with an enlightened yet agitated, "'Ello"

Silence rang over the phone as soft static was the only indication that someone actually resided on the other end of the line. Yuffie offered another 'hello? anybody out there?' before muttering an unfriendly disclaimer and reaching over to place it back on the cradle. Her arm suddenly froze in place when a hopeful inkling of an idea crossed her disgruntled mind. Her Aunt Clara was still, as far as Yuffie knew, in touch with the out of action Mrs. Kisaragi. Clara also knew where Godo and Yuffie currently resided and even though she refused to spill any information to either late husband or daughter, she was quite open with her sister.

Yuffie placed the receiver back against the side of her face at lightning speed before whispering in an audible tone, "Mom? Is that you"

Silence.

"Please talk to me. I missed you a whole lot since you left. I know you're still in touch with Aunt Clara and I'm pretty sure she told you where I was and how to reach me. Dad's not home if that's what you're afraid of"

Silence.

Yuffie's eyes began to fill with tears as her finger absently played with the cord, "I hate it here and I hate being with dad. I need you, mama. Please, please talk to me. If you're not coming back for me like you promised at least let me hear your voice. Let me know you're okay. Let me know you still care"

"Hang in there kiddo"

The line went dead as a tear escaped from the endless depths of despondent eyes. She had called. She had actually called and displayed some kind of interest in her daughter's deterioration of a life in a one sentence word of advice. Slowly hanging up the phone, Yuffie smiled. Pain was consistent in her short life but maybe she could finally break the cycle. Maybe there was a light at the all too often spoken about end of the tunnel. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope after all.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

She stood outside her home with a piping hot cup of coffee in her grasp. Thoughts of the encounter she would without a doubt have with her parents plagued an otherwise carefree mentality. Grumbling stomach entangled itself into a protective knot as her chest burned incessantly. She felt weak and her body's hay wiring functions did nothing more than rub the emotional incontinency in her face. There was no comfort, at least nothing that her own person could provide.

Sighing, Tifa reached up through curtains of straight silk and touched the lone earring which adorned her ear. Her mother had purchased these earrings when she was but a mere child at Cosmo Canyon. They were gorgeous, dangling decorations with an onyx stone sitting in the center of a small hoop of intricate designs and small turquoise pebble below wired posts. Throughout the years, Mrs. Lockheart had worn them religiously - deeming them her favorite pair.

_"Happy birthday, sweetheart. Here, open my gift first"  
_

_"Wow, mom, they're beautiful," a fourteen year old Tifa Lockheart proclaimed in glee as she picked up a single earring from the pair in fascination.  
_

_"When I was your age, I took a trip to Cosmo Canyon with my parents and these earrings caught my eye," Mrs. Lockheart explained with a smile, "They were blessed by a high priest and cost me an arm and a leg to buy but it was worth it. These bad boys were my favorite earrings from that moment until this one where I give my favorite earrings to my favorite girl"  
_

_"Thank you so much," she exclaimed, placing an earring on as she closed the box with the other securely within.  
_

_"You're only gonna wear one"  
_

_"I don't want there to be a chance to loose both...I don't know what I'd do if I lost both of your favorite earrings so if I only wear one and keep the other in its box, I could only misplace one. I promise to take good care of them but accidents happen"_

Her finger trailed the smoothness of the onyx while dark eyes lowered to the ground. Guilt resurfaced in her core and memories overcame pride; she was left with tears in her eyes and a loss of inhibition. The water had reached Tifa's eyes and she could no longer breathe. It was only a matter of time before she would be completely submerged and drown.

She frowned and turned around before walking away. It wasn't time yet. She would see her parents and comprehend the situation when it was. Because that was exactly what her homecoming signified - that she was ready to fully accept her mother's death sentence. Would there be a time when Tifa would truly give her blessing to such an unholy occurrence? Doubtful, but the fates were funny where epiphanies were concerned.


End file.
